40 Thieves, Snatchers Under GRP Watch As Train Thefts Rise In Bhopal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Government Railway Police (GRP) has identified 40 habitual thieves and snatchers operating on trains between Bhopal Junction and Nishatpura railway stations, a stretch that has witnessed a rise in theft and snatching incidents. While police maintain regular surveillance on these offenders, officials admit that several minors involved in such crimes remain off the police radar.

According to GRP officials, most offenders are residents of slum settlements along the railway tracks. They usually target trains halted or moving slowly at outer signals.

They board coaches to steal bags, mobile phones and other valuables from sleeping passengers. In several cases, they snatch mobile phones from passengers sitting near windows and jump off moving trains before anyone can react.

GRP inspector Zaheer Khan said, “Records of 40 repeat offenders involved in train thefts and snatching have been maintained. Their movements are under constant surveillance. They are regularly called to the police station for questioning, and their sources of income are also being monitored.”

GRP arrests ‘Commando', recovers jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh

The GRP on Saturday arrested Sanjay Prajapati alias ommando, a notorious snatcher, nearly one-and-a-half months after he allegedly snatched a woman's purse from a moving train near Pachama in Sehore district. Asha Nagesh was travelling with her family on Yeshwantpur Express from New Amravati to Ujjain on May 27.

As the train slowed before Sehore station, the suspect allegedly snatched her purse from her hand and jumped off the moving train. The purse contained two mobile phones, gold jewellery, Rs 31,000 in cash, ATM cards, an Aadhaar card and other belongings.

Using footage from nearly 100 CCTV cameras, the GRP tracked the suspect to his rented hut in Old Dairy Farm, Bairagarh, but he fled. GRP incharge Zaheer Khan said that after an extensive search of nearly six weeks, police finally arrested him from Mathura and recovered the stolen cash and valuables.