In a joint operation conducted on Thursday and Friday, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested four individuals for allegedly stealing passengers’ belongings on trains.
One of the accused, Suhail Ansari, was caught red-handed while trying to escape after snatching a cellphone from a female passenger on board the Amrit Bharat Express. His interrogation later helped police identify and arrest the remaining members of the gang and a shopkeeper who allegedly purchased stolen phones.
According to the GRP, the arrests were made as part of Operation Yatri Suraksha, an initiative aimed at improving passenger safety on trains.
RPF personnel apprehended Suhail Ansari, son of Alauddin Ansari and a resident of Gajadharganj, while he was attempting to flee after snatching a mobile phone through a train window.
Based on information from the accused and an informer, police later arrested two of his associates — Suhail Khan, son of Lukman Khan of Gajadharganj, and Dharmendra Kumar, son of Rampravesh Singh of Koransarai — from the station premises.
During interrogation, the trio allegedly confessed to targeting passengers on trains and selling the stolen phones to a shop owned by Mohd Nasir in Gajadharganj. Acting on the tip-off, police raided the shop and recovered two previously stolen high-end mobile phones. The shopkeeper was also taken into custody.
Kundan Kumar, inspector of the RPF Buxar, said the accused had earlier met while lodged in Ara Jail in connection with similar offences. After their release, they regrouped and resumed stealing valuables from train passengers.
Police said the gang sometimes used blades to cut open passengers’ bags or purses before stealing valuables.
A case has been registered at Buxar GRP against the accused. Officers seized a purse, four mobile phones, and a blade during the operation, which was carried out under the supervision of RPF inspector Kundan Kumar and GRP in-charge Vikas Kumar.
