Mumbai Crime: 2 Women Robbed Of Gold Necklaces On Mahalaxmi Express After Train Stops Between Stations; Signal Tampering Suspected

Mumbai, November 02, 2026: Two women travelling on the Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express were robbed of their gold necklaces after the train came to a halt between Lonand and Salpa railway stations in the early hours of Sunday.

Railway police suspect that the train was deliberately stopped through signal tampering to facilitate the robbery. The incident has raised fresh concerns over passenger safety on the route, where similar robberies have been reported in recent months.

The incident took place around 2.30 am when the train was on its way to Kolhapur. The victims, Sunita Gorakshanath Tupe (44), a resident of Kanjurmarg East in Mumbai, and Surekha Babasaheb Khade (40), from Khopoli in Raigad district, were travelling in the reserved S-1 coach.

According to their complaint, two unidentified persons approached the coach after the train stopped and snatched their gold necklaces through the windows. The suspects fled after other passengers raised an alarm.

Police Suspect Signal Tampering

Miraj Railway Police Inspector Sitaram Phand said the complainants reported that two persons were involved and that nobody entered the coach. The stolen jewellery is estimated to weigh around 1 to 1.5 tola, or approximately 11 to 17 grams.

Phand said the suspects allegedly cut railway signalling wires, causing the train to stop before Salpa station. He said their suspected modus operandi was to have one person climb on the back of another to reach the windows and snatch the jewellery. These details are part of the police investigation.

An FIR has been registered, and railway police are checking records of habitual offenders and examining whether any new vehicles travelled through the area around the time of the incident. Phand said the rural stretch has few CCTV cameras, making it difficult to identify the suspects.

Similar Robberies Reported On Route

The robbery follows similar incidents on the route. In April, passengers aboard the Kolhapur-Pune Sahyadri Express were targeted near Shenoli station in Satara district after the train was allegedly stopped following signal tampering. Gold ornaments and mobile phones were stolen.

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In July, passengers travelling on both the Kolhapur-Pune and Pune-Kolhapur Sahyadri Express trains were targeted on the same night at Bhilawadi station in Sangli district.

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