In a significant breakthrough, the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Patna has apprehended two individuals accused of masquerading as police officers and committing a daring robbery of ₹22.50 lakh from a gold trader at the bustling Patna Junction railway station.
The Midnight Heist at the Railway Station
The incident traces back to the chilling midnight of December 29, 2025. According to the official complaint lodged by trader Dheeraj Kumar, his brother-in-law, Deepak Kumar (25) from Vaishali, was returning after delivering silver jewellery to a shop in Bakarganj, Patna. He was carrying a bag containing a substantial sum of ₹22.50 lakh in cash.
Railway Superintendent of Police Inamul Haq Mengnoo detailed the modus operandi. "At Patna Junction, a man dressed in a police uniform approached the victim. Citing security checks due to the evening hour on Platform 1, he lured the victim," the SP stated. Exploiting the winter cold, the suspects wore khaki jackets that closely resembled police attire to bolster their deception.
Deception and Theft in the Darkness
The impersonators led the victim to a room within the station under the pretext of calling senior officials. In the cover of darkness, they snatched the bag containing ₹22 lakh and fled the scene. To add a layer of authenticity to their charade, one of the accused had even saved a contact number under the name 'GRP' on his mobile phone.
Following the complaint, a formal case was registered on December 30. A dedicated GRP team, spearheaded by officer Rajesh Kumar, immediately sprang into action. Through meticulous analysis of CCTV footage and with technical support, they first identified one of the accused, Deepak Kumar. His subsequent interrogation provided crucial leads that led to the arrest of his accomplice, Raja Kumar. Both accused are 20-year-olds from Karbighhiya and Khusrupur respectively.
Recovery, Interrogation, and Ongoing Probes
Swift raids conducted at their residences resulted in the recovery of ₹19 lakh of the stolen cash. During interrogation, the accused revealed a surprising twist. "They confessed to having mistaken the victim's bag for one carrying illicit liquor bottles. Their initial plan was to extort money from someone they believed was a smuggler," SP Mengnoo explained. "They claimed to be shocked upon discovering the enormous amount of cash and insisted this was their first criminal offence." Preliminary checks have not found any prior criminal records for the duo.
Investigations are actively continuing to trace and recover the remaining ₹3.50 lakh. Given the substantial sum involved, the Income Tax Department has been formally notified and will conduct a parallel inquiry into the source and trail of the money. The recovered amount will be returned to its rightful owner after due process.
The SP also disclosed that the two accused had been working as water vendors at Patna Junction for the past three months and had rented a room in Karbighhiya, which aided them in familiarizing themselves with the station's layout and routines.
