Udupi: Railway police swiftly apprehend thief, recover woman’s stolen belongings

Team Udayavani, Oct 5, 2023, 8:15 PM IST

The railway police have successfully apprehended an accused individual who attempted to escape on a train after stealing a bag containing valuable items, including gold ornaments, cards, and cash, from a woman traveling on the Netravati Express.

The alleged thief, identified as Sunny Malhotra (30) from Delhi, made away with a substantial sum of Rs 4,67,000 in cash along with precious gold possessions. However, thanks to the swift action of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Udupi police, the victim’s ordeal was promptly addressed.

The incident came to light when the woman, who was traveling on the train, reported the theft to the on-duty TT. Immediately, RPF Udupi police initiated an operation to track down the culprit.

Based on a passenger’s complaint, alert RPF personnel observed a suspicious individual lingering at the end of the platform. The suspect possessed a travel ticket from Mangalore to Madgaon. During questioning, the suspect threw an ATM card into nearby bushes. It became evident that the suspect was evasive and uncooperative.

Further scrutiny by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sudhir raised suspicions, leading to the accused revealing his identity as Sunny Malhotra from Delhi.

The sequence of events unfolded when the woman’s bag was pilfered at Tokur station, and the thief made a hasty exit from the railway station premises. He took the cash and jewelry from the bag and discarded it in bushes alongside the railway track before boarding the moving Tirunelveli – Dadar Express. Upon his arrival at Udupi railway station, a search uncovered gold ornaments in his possession. The recovered items included various chains totaling 93.17 grams of gold, Rs. 4,67,620 in cash, and an ATM card.

The apprehended accused was subsequently handed over to the Manipal Police Station along with the stolen property. According to the FIR registered at Manipal Police Station, the estimated value of the stolen jewelry amounted to Rs 6,75,000.