GOVERNMENT Railway Police (GRP) has intensified its crackdown on the growing number of theft and snatching incidents aboard trains operating through Bhopal. Police have prepared a list of 40 habitual offenders who are known to operate near railway stations and have previous criminal records. These individuals will now be required to report to the police station at regular intervals, while dedicated police personnel have been assigned to monitor their movements and maintain routewise surveillance records. However, officials admit that several juvenile offenders involved in such crimes remain beyond the reach of law enforcement. Slum-based operations According to GRP Station House Officer Zaheer Khan, most of the identified offenders reside in slum settlements located along the railway tracks. They primarily target trains halted at outer signals or those moving at slow speed. The accused board coaches and steal bags, mobile phones and other valuables from sleeping passengers. In several cases, they snatch mobile phones from passengers seated near windows before jumping off the moving train and escaping. Continuous surveillance The GRP has placed all 40 identified offenders under continuous surveillance. They are periodically summoned to the police station for questioning, and their sources of income are also being verified. Police officials said that if any suspicious activity is detected during monitoring, the individual concerned is immediately taken into custody for further investigation. Passenger targeted In a recent incident, 62-yearold Rekha Ben Bhavsar was travelling in the S-3 coach of the Somnath Express when the train departed Bhopal Junction at a slow speed.

 

An unidentified offender reached through the window, snatched her gold earrings and fled before passengers could react. Bracelet stolen In another case, 33-year-old Adarsh Sahu was sleeping near the coach entrance when a thief removed a silver bracelet from his hand between Bhopal Junction and Nishatpura. The accused jumped from the moving train and escaped. Organised gangs active Investigations into previous arrests have revealed the presence of organised criminal gangs operating around Bhopal railway station. Police identified two prominent groups known as ‘Commando’ and ‘Nishanebaaz’, allegedly comprising offenders from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Bhopal. The ‘Nishanebaaz’ gang is known for using sticks or rods to snatch mobile phones from passengers, while the ‘Commando’ gang specialises in boarding train coaches to steal valuables from passengers. Gang leader arrested GRP Station House Officer Zaheer Khan said police arrested Sanjay Prajapati alias ‘Commando’, the alleged kingpin of the theft gang, on Saturday after he had remained absconding for nearly two months. Police said he was involved in a robbery on May 27, when Asha Nagesh was travelling with family on the Yashwantpur Express. As the train slowed down, the accused allegedly snatched a purse containing two mobile phones, gold jewellery, Rs 31,000 in cash, ATM cards, Aadhaar cards and other important documents before jumping from the moving train. Following his arrest, police recovered gold jewellery valued at approximately Rs 7 lakh from his possession.