Well I think this might not be the right place to share my being robbed experience here. But anyway I will share with you what happened to me on 23 May of 2006. Here it goes:

Characters:
Victim: Arun
Victors:Four Pickpockets
Friend: Noor

Setting: One my close friends Noor is to arrive in Mumbai (Bombay) from nearby city Pune on 23rd May. I am in office and we co-coordinated the meeting point to be a place in city named Dadar.

Story:
The swaying plum tree outside window was casting shadows in my bedroom and ofcourse on my face. The morning light came filtered through the window and it was time to wake up. <Eeeeyah !> Sorry that was for urge to control the morning sleep attack . OK, Now I am awake ... Oh Damn! It is already 7am and I am late as usual ...

Rushing through exercise, bath and breakfast I am on my way to office. Another busy day at office ... Some mail checking some work on case-study and <TRIN> <TRIN> <TRIN> my cellfone rings . Oh Man! Noor is calling and I just forgot that I need to pick him up at 4pm from Dadar in Mumbai.

Lunchtime came and went with my belly stretched like tent, not that I ate too much ... it just rhimed. OK OK ... Back to story of me being robbed.

So here at office I say to my Boss that I am not feeling OK, I need to go home. OK He says you may leave, that was because I have been doing unpaid overtime lately so I deserved it anyway.

Next, Here I am at the standing at the Vashi Local railroad station and waiting for train up to Dadar.

I must tell you something about Mumbai's Local trains. The local trains in Mumbai are lifeline of this city and it employs Beggars, Pickpocket, flea markets and of course the official staff. People travel in these trains like avalanches.

Did I say avalanches! Yes the increasing surge of people (in train) ready to burp out of train and the crowd standing out ready to claim their space in this moving IRON serpent.

So here I am going towards Dadar at 3:30pm. Usually I am quite aware that these locals are infested with all kind of skilled and unskilled pickpocket. I do take extra precaution to place all of my valuable belongings in one trouser pocket and guard it with hand. But this time my belongings were Distributed in different pockets.

Standing in the train I feel uneasy suddenly, because this is not the rush hour and suddenly so many people around me are ready to alight at Dadar. Then hot blood surged to my head and I recalled a similar experience that I witnessed some time back in Delhi where a gullible man was robbed in daylight before he could know that he has lost all his money in the bag.
That moment i knew I had made a mistake. I had a SAMSUNG D820 in my one pocket and a wallet (carrying 150 Rs) in other. What would have happened next, You can guess, I knew exactly.

A guy was just behind me pretending to be in hurry to alight, two guys on either side and one just few paces in front of me. So located at the eye of this DIAMOND formation, I had a decision to make.

No, No not that I wished to scream or make a scene or just feel brave to take these pickpocket head-on. I need to choose between letting my cell phone go or my wallet in my back pocket. If I remove my hand from my cell phone ... It would be gone before I could say Oh God! ... By the way I had a shoulder bag to add weight to my worries. One hand on my bag and other on my cell, I had already made the choice.

Usual commotion of avalanche effect and I am on the platform. I suddenly feel light, Not from relief you silly! I have been robbed of my wallet as I have thought of. Taking my cell in my hand I try to feel my wallet ... Oh My God ! It is gone ... I stare perplexed around me ... I said "My pocket is gone!"

Now here is the cookie that I have been saving:
A person just turns around and says "That is very bad!".
He was one of the DIAMOND point. I got sympathy from the robber ... Great!

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PS: You may ask when I knew why did not I do anything about it. My dear reader ... This is third world (or Second ... since last update) ... here people murder for milk money ... a knife-edge does not cost here much ... and I had no plans to thwart the finely orchestrated performance.
And You know I really enjoyed this situation, only at the cost of Rs. 150 or roughly $5. After all I had solace of saving my phone. Where would you see a gang in action ... and you being the EYE. I had some debit cards and some personal belongings in the wallet. Usually I do not keep much valuable in my wallet so loss was of money only.
So here I salute the entire pickpocket community for their Hard Work, skills and co-ordination. Thank you for the front seat thrills. But I do feel about the loss of my dear Wallet .

ENJOY What Life throws at you !