New Delhi [India], July 7 : The Railway Unit of Delhi Police busted an interstate gang of bag lifters active on trains and railway premises, leading to the arrest of four habitual offenders and recovery of stolen property worth several lakhs of rupees, an official said.
According to KPS Malhotra, DCP Railways, on July 3, Railway Enquiry reported the theft of five bags from coach A-1 of Train No. 12477 (Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra SF Express) at New Delhi Railway Station (NDRS).
A case under appropriate sections was registered at PS NDRS on July 3. Acting swiftly, the team analysed CCTV footage and traced the suspected gang to the Crystal Hotel, Paharganj, New Delhi.
The Railway Unit team conducted raids at the hotel and apprehended the following accused:
Amit Kumar, resident of Vaishali, Bihar, age 37 years. Disclosed his previous involvement in theft at railway stations and arrest in FIR u/s 379/411 IPC, PS GRP Hajipur, Uttar Pradesh. He has a history of targeting railway passengers and has operated in Bihar and Delhi earlier, officials said.
Karan Kumar, resident of Bihar, age 27 years. Disclosed his prior arrest in case u/s 25 Arms Act, PS Barauni, Bihar. Known to carry weapons during thefts to intimidate victims and aid escape, officials said.
Gaurav resident of Begusarai, Bihar, age 33 years. Disclosed his arrest in a case u/s 379/411/34 IPC, PS NDRS for similar offences. He had also been declared as a proclaimed offender by the court for absconding after his earlier involvement in theft cases. Previously active at NDRS, he is familiar with the station layout and escape routes, making him a key operative in the gang, they added.
From their possession, the police recovered three trolley bags (two confirmed as stolen), Four pitthu bags, Five handbags, Two mobile phones, Cash amounting to Rs 47,000.
Officials added that the two confirmed stolen trolley bags were matched with the registered case. The remaining articles were seized under section 106 BNSS.
Further investigation led to the arrest of the fourth accused from Anand Vihar Railway Station. His details are as follows-
Punit Mahto resident of Bihar, age-38 years. He has been involved in organized crime for over a decade, operating across Bihar, Rajasthan, and Delhi. His background reflects experience in narcotics, armed robbery, and organized theft. On interrogation, he disclosed involvement in several theft cases
From his possession, four more suspected stolen trolley bags were recovered, which are being verified against pending theft cases.
The investigation uncovered that the gang targeted passengers boarding and alighting trains, particularly at crowded stations, and quickly escaped with unattended luggage.
Notably, the investigation revealed that black and blue bags were more prone to theft, as these are common and less noticeable in crowded areas. The accused exploited this by adopting a deliberate tactic of carrying and exchanging similar-looking black and blue bags to mislead CCTV surveillance and evade detection, police said.
They would stay at a hotel near the railway station, carrying black and blue bags with them. They would steal black or blue bags from unsuspecting passengers and take them to the hotel, where they would empty the contents into the bags they already possessed. Thereafter, they would bring the now-empty stolen bags back to the railway station and abandon them. This cycle was repeated multiple times, making it harder for police and CCTV operators to distinguish stolen bags from their own, police added.
This clever deception helped them blend into the crowd and avoid raising suspicion while successfully executing theft after theft, the release stated.
They also used safe houses near the Badarpur-Faridabad border to conceal stolen property before selling it in grey markets. To avoid detection, they frequently changed phones and SIM cards and used aliases during hotel stays.