In an early morning operation, the government railway police (GRP) arrested a gang of thieves after foiling their plan to rob passengers aboard the Mumbai-Faizabad Saket Express.
The operation occurred near Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), the originating station of the train.
According to GRP officials, the patrol staff at LTT received a tip-off about the planned attack on the passenger train in the early hours of Wednesday.
“A team was sent to trap them, and officials took position near the Vidyavihar end of platform 1 at LTT. We found around 12 people hiding in the bushes,” a GRP official said.
In the ensuing chase, four to five people escaped into the slums near the tracks, while the police caught seven members of the gang including the ring leader, Pramod Thombre. The others arrested are Ganesh Bhosale, Ramnaresh Singh, Amol Bhosale, Suraj Harijan, Satish Singh and Pankaj Sahu.
“Trains typically go very slowly as they leave the platform, particularly in the monsoon. The gang was planning to take advantage of this and jump into the trains armed with weapons,” a GRP official said. The official added that as a result of the monsoon, the vegetation in the vicinity of Vidyavihar had become very thick, providing a perfect place for the thieves to hide.
“We will be asking the authorities to trim the bushes in that region as a preventive measure,” a senior police official said.
The police confiscated blades and knives from the seven men.
They were charged under Section 399 of the Indian Penal Code for attempt to commit dacoity, and sections of the Arms Act for the possession of firearms.
