Passenger loses Rs 1 lakh and antique fountain pen from locked check-in baggage at Mumbai Airport

A 78-year-old fountain pen valued at Rs 5,000 and a sum of one lakh rupees were stolen from the check-in baggage of Binod Kumar Mandal, a 46-year-old director at Manipal Tech Group Companies, during his flight from Mangalore to Mumbai on Wednesday. Mandal, who had kept the cash for emergency use and the antique pen, discovered the theft upon landing at Mumbai Domestic Airport. The bag's number lock and chain were broken, prompting Mandal to report the incident to airport police.

Mandal, on a two-day official trip to Mumbai, expressed concern over the rising incidents of theft from baggage during air travel. He emphasized the need for passengers to remain vigilant and highlighted the difficulties he faced when attempting to file a complaint with the authorities.

Mandal stated, "In my case, I had the proof of money that I had withdrawn from the bank which I had carried. Despite having all the proof, I waited for almost five hours in Mumbai after landing to lodge a police complaint."


The stolen fountain pen held sentimental value as it was a family heirloom gifted by Mandal's grandfather in 1946. Mandal, originally from Kolkata, suspected the involvement of airport staff in the theft, claiming it to be a coordinated effort between those handling baggage scanning and loading.

The airport police have registered a case under section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code against an unknown person. DCP (Zone VIII) Dikshit Gedam stated, "The airport police are probing the case. It is too early to tell from where and how the cash and other valuables could have been stolen." Investigations involve obtaining CCTV footage from the airport and Indigo airline to identify the perpetrator behind the theft.

"It is a hand-in-glove by people inside the airport otherwise the theft will not happen. I suspect that the person who does the baggage scanning would have tipped off the loader who would have stolen cash from the place where there is no CCTV coverage," Mandal said.

This incident marks the first time Mandal has encountered baggage theft despite his frequent travels for official trips across the country. He expressed frustration over the lack of immediate assistance from authorities and urged fellow travelers to exercise caution while handling valuables during air travel.