Meghalaya entrepreneur alleges theft at Delhi pineapple festival, seeks swift police action

A Meghalaya entrepreneur has alleged that her bag containing cash, identity documents and other valuables was stolen during the fourth Meghalaya Pineapple Festival at Dilli Haat in New Delhi, prompting her to appeal to both the Meghalaya government and Delhi Police for quicker action.

Roshni Kharshiing, founder of Rush (Pineapple Jam), said the incident took place on the evening of July 11 while she was attending to customers at her stall during the three-day festival.

Describing her experience in a video message, Kharshiing said the event had initially been a major opportunity for her business. "This was my first time in Delhi", to showcase her products, she said, adding that visitors responded enthusiastically and the festival witnessed a "huge rush" on the second day.

According to Kharshiing, two men stole her bag between 8.15 pm and 8.45 pm. She claimed it contained her Aadhaar card, voter ID, PAN card, office identity card, her husband's documents and between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 in cash.

She alleged that one of the men repeatedly tried to lure her away from the stall by claiming that someone in the crowd wanted to meet her.

"I told him that whoever needs to talk to me can come to my stall," she said, alleging that shortly afterwards the bag was stolen.

Kharshiing said officials from the Meghalaya Department of Food Processing assisted her in filing a police complaint at the Dilli Haat police post. She claimed CCTV footage of the incident was reviewed the same night and said she later identified what she believed were crucial leads from the recordings.

Despite this, she alleged that there had been little progress in the investigation.

"I have the proof; you need to act on this," she said, adding that she had been the one repeatedly contacting the police for updates. "Nobody has reached out from Delhi Police."

Questioning the security arrangements at the government-backed event, Kharshiing said it was worrying that such an incident could occur despite official support for entrepreneurs.

"It is a big question to the security system," she said, urging the Meghalaya government to intervene so that entrepreneurs participating in future events do not lose confidence.

She also appealed for public support by asking people to share her video, claiming that at least two other participants had also reported losing belongings during the festival.

The fourth Meghalaya Pineapple Festival, organised by the state's Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, concluded on July 12 after recording the sale of 30 metric tonnes of fresh pineapples, nearly double the 15.4 metric tonnes sold during the 2025 edition. The event also resulted in new retail partnerships, including agreements with Flipkart and NCDEX e Markets Limited, aimed at expanding market access for Meghalaya's agricultural products.