Be wary when your train slows down between Korukkupet and Basin Bridge junctions; thieves may hop in and escape with valuables. According to officers from the Government Railway Police (GRP), crimes on trains are common during summer.
The latest passenger to fall prey to such thieves is Lalithaa, a middle-aged woman, who was travelling on the Hyderabad Express. “On Thursday, around 6 a.m, when the train slowed down near Korukkupet, she was near the wash basin and splashing water on her face. A youngster hopped in, snatched her chain and jumped out the train,” said a GRP officer.
The police said though chain snatching was rare, mobile phones were targeted often. “The passenger traffic is heavy during the summer vacation, so thieves find easy targets,” added the officer.
Besides, owing to the heat, many passengers leave the windows open or stand near the door. “The youngsters are adept in jumping out of a moving train, but the passengers cannot do the same,” an officer said.
Earlier, over 30 cases of mobile theft used to be reported every month. “But we have brought it down to five. Schoolchildren from neighbouring slums take to crime due to peer pressure. They do it during the vacations and purely for fun,” added the officer.
Staff shortage
The Korukkupet police station, which covers nearly 17 railway stations and a distance of over 60 km, has only three GRP personnel.
“On an average, 23 unknown bodies are reported in our jurisdiction alone. Our team finds it hard to attend to such cases and also handle crime. We need more staff,” said a senior police officer.
