Ola Driver Arrested for Stealing Over Rs 20 Lakh from Passenger
Ola cab driver arrested for stealing passenger's valuables in Bhubaneswar.
The Commissionerate Police in Bhubaneswar effected the arrest of Ola cab driver Nageswar Pramanik, a resident of Kuanpal village in Cuttack district, on January 9, 2026, following a daring theft involving valuables exceeding Rs 20 lakh from a returning international traveler, demonstrating swift investigative response to a complaint filed just days earlier.
The crime unfolded on the night of January 7, 2026, when businessman Aman Kumar Agarwal, based in Sector 9 of Cuttack city, landed at Biju Patnaik International Airport from Thailand and booked an Ola ride for his journey home, unwittingly placing his luggage containing high-value items in the custody of the accused driver.
While en route, Agarwal engaged in a telephone conversation with his wife during which he inadvertently disclosed details about expensive gifts and valuables acquired abroad, information that police believe was deliberately overheard by Pramanik, prompting him to improvise an opportunistic robbery scheme mid-journey.
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Executing the plan, the driver allegedly fabricated a pretext to have the passenger alight from the vehicle at Patia locality, only to accelerate away immediately afterward with the unattended baggage, which encompassed gold jewelry including a chain, bracelet, and gemstone rings, diamond earrings, a premium smartwatch, approximately Rs 1 lakh in Indian currency, Thai Baht equivalent to significant value, the victim's passport, wallet with multiple credit and debit cards, and assorted personal effects collectively appraised at over Rs 20 lakh.
Upon realizing the theft, Agarwal promptly reported the matter at Chandrasekharpur police station on January 8, triggering registration of a case and an intensive manhunt that culminated in Pramanik's apprehension the following day, his subsequent production before a magistrate for judicial remand, and revelations during interrogation that the suspect carries a history of involvement in four additional criminal cases across various jurisdictions.
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