Two young Indian women studying in the US found themselves in serious trouble last year over a shoplifting case at a grocery store in New Jersey. The incident occurred in March 2024, and bodycam footage of their arrest was widely circulated online at the time. The video is now gaining renewed attention amid a spate of similar cases involving Indian nationals across the US.
The case took place at a ShopRite outlet in Hoboken. The two women were identified as Bhavya Linganagunta, 20, and Yamini Valkalpudi, 22. Both were pursuing higher studies at the Stevens Institute of Technology and had moved to New Jersey not long before the arrest.
The ShopRite Incident
Police reports state that the students paid for only two items at the billing counter but
attempted to walk out with 27 more, worth $155.61 (approximately Rs 13,600). Store staff informed the police about the unpaid bill. Officers arrived at the scene, and the confrontation that followed was captured on their body cameras.
Bodycam footage released by the Hoboken Police shows them arresting two female international students from India for alleged shoplifting at a ShopRite. Both are graduate students at Stevens Institute of Technology (@FollowStevens) and are repeat shoplifters.
“Will this affect us… pic.twitter.com/yDq6S7DELF
— U.S. Tech Workers (@USTechWorkers) April 9, 2024
Defending The Act
In the footage, shared on X (formerly Twitter), the students are seen trying to explain what happened. They told officers they had a “limited balance” and that they forgot to pay for the additional items. Their explanations did not convince the police. After being told they would be arrested, the women pleaded with officers to let them pay on the spot. One even said she was willing to pay double.
Despite their requests, they were asked to sign a form promising not to return to that ShopRite outlet. They were then handcuffed and taken to the police station. Officers informed them that they would also have to appear in court at a later date.
Concerns About Future
The bodycam clip also shows the anxiety of the students about how the arrest might affect their careers. One of them asked, “Will this affect us for H-1B process or any job?” The officer replied clearly: “Yes! If they run your information, it’s going to show that you were arrested.”
“Will this affect us for H-1B process or any job?”
Officer: “Yes! If they run your information, it’s going to show that you were arrested.” pic.twitter.com/6I5rbRQ32Z
— U.S. Tech Workers (@USTechWorkers) April 9, 2024
Indians Caught Shoplifting
This is not the only such case making headlines. Recently, a video emerged showing a woman of Indian origin caught shoplifting at a Target store. The woman, who identified herself as Gujarati, was visibly distressed. She was sobbing, shaking and gasping for breath as police questioned her. When asked about her motive, she nodded in agreement when officers suggested she had planned to resell the stolen goods.
Another case reported two months ago came from Illinois. An Indian woman was accused of shoplifting items worth $1,300 (around Rs 1.08 lakh) at a Target store after spending nearly seven hours inside. She pleaded with officers and even offered to pay for the items. But the police officers refused to budge.
