The Government Railway Police on Thursday arrested members of an inter-State gang, who drugged passengers and relieved them of valuables.
The GRP chanced upon the gang while making regular security checks at the Chennai Central station.
The four- member gang, belonging to Kolkata, were involved in two cases of doping passengers on the Mumbai – Kanyakumari Express and the Jayanthi Janatha Express, relieving them of a laptop, gold chain, gold rings and Rs.2,000, worth Rs.70,000 in all.
K.C. Mahali, Inspector General of Police, GRP, addressing reporters here on Friday, said the gang would travel on trains and befriend passengers. They would give them tea or cool drinks laced with sedatives.
Their modus operandi was similar to that of the ‘biscuit bandits,' who were active till a few years ago. The GRP arrested two other persons involved in chain snatching and robberies on suburban trains. Gold chains valued at Rs.1.04 lakh were recovered.
Independence Day arrangements
Mr. Mahali said elaborate security arrangements were being made in all railway stations in the State in coordination with the Railway Protection Force for Independence Day celebrations.
Frisking of passengers and checking their baggage had been intensified at the entry points of major stations. Empty train coaches were being checked using sniffer dogs before being brought to platform.
More than 1,200 railway police personnel were being deployed and regular open line patrol was being organised along with personnel of the Revenue Department and railway gang men. Armed guards would travel on major express trains.
