78-year-old man loses ₹61,000 after mobile phone theft on BMTC bus

A 78-year-old man lost ₹61,000 from his bank account after his mobile phone was allegedly stolen while he was travelling on a BMTC bus in Electronic City on October 27.

The complainant, M. Ramappa, a resident of G.K. Layout, Parappana Agrahara, was travelling to Indira Gandhi Hospital in Siddapura with his granddaughter, who was unwell.

According to his complaint, he left home around 9.15 a.m. and boarded a BMTC bus heading towards Majestic at the Hosa Road bus stop around 9.30 a.m. Shortly after boarding, he noticed that his mobile phone, which he had kept in the upper pocket of his shirt, was missing.

He enquired with fellow passengers but could not trace the phone. He subsequently proceeded to the hospital, where he left his granddaughter with his daughter, Malashree, and informed her about the theft.

His daughter then told him that she had transferred money to his bank account to pay her daughter’s school fees and advised him to check his account, as his mobile phone did not have a password.

Ramappa immediately went to his bank branch in Naganathapura and checked his account. He was shocked to discover that ₹50,000 had been withdrawn through a UPI transaction, followed by another transaction of ₹11,000 on the same day.

He returned home and informed his daughter about the unauthorised transactions. She contacted the cybercrime helpline 1930 and advised him to lodge a police complaint.

Ramappa subsequently approached the Electronic City police and lodged a complaint, seeking action against those who allegedly stole his mobile phone and transferred ₹61,000 from his bank account.