Entrepreneur Alleges Theft at Delhi Pineapple Festival

Shillong: Roshni Kharshiing, founder of Rush, lost her bag containing cash and vital identification during the fourth Meghalaya Pineapple Festival at Dilli Haat. The theft occurred between 8.15 pm and 8.45 pm on July 11. She lost Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 in cash, an Aadhaar card, voter ID, PAN card, office ID, and her husband's documents.

Kharshiing suspects two men targeted her while she worked. One man tried to lure her away from her stall to distract her. She refused to leave her station. "This was my first time in Delhi," she said, noting the festival saw a huge rush that day. She believes the incident exposes major gaps in event security.

Staff from the Meghalaya Department of Food Processing helped her file a complaint at the Dilli Haat police post that night. She claims investigators reviewed CCTV footage immediately, yet no police officers have contacted her since. Kharshiing is now urging the Meghalaya government to step in and assist with the investigation. She alleges two other vendors also suffered thefts during the event.

The festival, managed by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, ended on July 12. Sales hit 30 metric tonnes of fresh pineapples, doubling the 15.4 metric tonnes sold in 2025. The event also secured new retail deals with Flipkart and NCDEX e Markets Limited to boost local farmers.