In a major crackdown on railway theft, the Railway Police arrested a 24-year-old man, Suraj Paswan from West Bengal, for allegedly pickpocketing dozens of passengers on premium trains such as the Vande Bharat Express. Authorities recovered 49 stolen mobile phones, including 13 iPhones, worth approximately Rs28.3 lakh.
Paswan was apprehended after a complaint filed by Siddalingappa S Kori, an office superintendent, who lost his iPhone on July 2 while boarding the Golgumbaz Express at KSR Bengaluru station. CCTV footage helped police link Paswan to multiple incidents.
A special team tracked him to a rented house in Marathahalli, where he had been staying with friends for six months. During the July 9 raid, officers seized high-end phones but Paswan’s accomplices evaded capture.
“Suraj targeted express train passengers, especially during peak hours,” said SP (Railways) S.K. Soumyalatha. “He’d use the rush as cover, snatch phones, and quickly exit through another door.”
Authorities believe he is part of a larger interstate pickpocket gang, and efforts are ongoing to track his associates and return the phones to their rightful owners.
