Mumbai: The crime branch unit of Government Railway Police (GRP) has busted a gang of mobile thieves from Jharkhand who used to board an express train to reach the city to commit the thefts. Railway police arrested two persons out of the three-member gang who boarded Flying Ranae express train which operates between Surat to Mumbai.
Railway police said that the gang used to travel to Vapi or Surat From Jharkhand in Gujarat state and booked hotel rooms there to discuss their modus operandi to commit the theft.
Amongst the gang, the railway police have arrested a person who is underage and had a similar crime record. The arrested accused who is now an 18-year-old has been identified as Durga Kahar and hails from Sahebganj district in Jharkhand.
“Khar was trained by several gangs who taught him to commit mobile theft. Khar used to board the Flying Ranee train from Surat and later reach Mumbai Central to commit the theft. He used to steal mobile phones from crowded areas in Mumbai Central and local trains,” said a GRP official.
Khar was earlier accused in several mobile theft cases when he was a juvenile. He was sent to children’s home and later released. “We apprehended Khar after almost three years along with the second accused in the case who has been identified as Gopalkumar Raju (18) and hails from the same place,” added the official.
The crime branch unit of GRP has recovered nine stolen mobile phones from both the accused which were worth Rs 3 lakh.
“We have arrested both persons under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections of 379 for punishment for theft,” said the official.
Officials are on the lookout to identify the receivers of the stolen mobile phones sold by the two accused.
