Bengaluru: Contrary to the popular narrative that air-conditioned coaches are safer, thieves have now started targeting passengers on premium coaches as well. Earlier this month, the Railway Protection Force's Bengaluru division and the Government Railway Police apprehended a group of thieves who specifically targeted AC coaches, especially on Vande Bharat trains.
Following repeated complaints by passengers who lost their electronic devices, the RPF began scanning CCTV footage from Vande Bharat trains passing through key stations in the city. Additionally, footage from Sir M Visveswarayya Terminal, Byappanahalli, Banaswadi, and nearby stations was also checked, leading the team to identify four individuals stealing electronic equipment from passengers.
As Vande Bharat trains have automatic sliding doors and enhanced checking, the offenders would commit thefts when the train stopped at stations or moved slowly near outer signals. On May 7, the RPF Byappanhalli received a tip-off about the group. The team waited at Banaswadi station when a passenger train to Salem arrived at 4:30 pm on platform number 1.
“The movement of four boys — repeatedly boarding and deboarding from the coaches — appeared suspicious. They were intercepted and during verification, their appearance matched with the suspects seen in CCTV footage captured on the dates of theft,” an RPF officer told TOI. The offenders were identified as Arun Kumar, 28, from Ejipura; Clinton R, 24, from Lingarajapuram; M Bharat, 28, from Wilson Garden; and Jebaraj, 29, from Maruthi Seva Nagar.
The electronic devices recovered were worth more than Rs 2 lakh. They included a backpack containing a Lenovo laptop, its charger, and a bike key, valued at Rs 75,423; a Dell laptop costing Rs 50,000; and an HP laptop valued at Rs 50,000. The team also recovered two mobile phones, valued at Rs 15,000 each.
Describing their modus operandi, an officer said: “They used to get into Vande Bharat trains when the doors opened at stations and check passengers carrying expensive devices. The moment the passengers left their seats either to use the washroom or to have food, the four would seize on the opportunity.”
