Mumbai: Two recent robberies on board long-distance trains in the city have prompted the Government Railway Police (GRP) to step up patrolling and vigilance activities and crack down on gangs involved in luggage, jewellery and mobile phone theft. The GRP has launched a special campaign to trace mobile phones stolen over the past five years besides deploying personnel in long-distance trains, said Rakesh Kalasagar, railway police commissioner.
“Thirty-one long-distance trains leave Mumbai everyday,” Kalasagar said on Sunday. “From now on, two railway police personnel will be deployed in each of these trains. They will patrol the entire train and protect passengers up to the limits of the railway police commissionerate, which will curb criminal activities.”
Increase in crime
On June 1, knife-wielding robbers targeted a Joesghwari-based family travelling via the Jaipur-Bandra Terminus Superfast Express after the train crossed Borivali and camped off with a trolley bag containing cash and valuables worth ₹7 lakh.
Then, on June 5, a robber targeted Dipali Deshmukh, a Panvel-based doctor, travelling on board the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Nanded Special train when it was between Bhandup and Kanjurmarg. The robber dragged her till the door in a bid to snatch her purse, her husband following her – then he jumped off the moving train, pulling the couple down behind him. The incident cost Dipali’s husband Yogesh Deshmukh, also a doctor, his left arm, which had to be amputated due to injuries caused by the fall.
The robberies were indicative of increasing crimes on railway premises. According to data from the GRP, 12,000 cases of theft were registered in 2022, including cases involving theft of mobile phones. But in 2024, 11,143 mobile phones alone were stolen from railway premises, taking the monthly average of mobile phone thefts to over 928. Between January and May this year, over 3,576 mobile phones were stolen, taking the monthly average to over 715.
Security measures
The GRP has initiated several measures in light of recent incidents to increase security and prevent crimes on trains.
The most prominent among these is a special campaign to prevent mobile thefts. A team has been formed under the campaign within the crime detection branch of every railway police station.
“These teams will conduct technical investigations and try to recover all stolen and lost mobile phones in their jurisdiction in the past five years,” said Kalasagar.
Most mobile phone thefts occur when commuters try to board trains or when they use phones carelessly while travelling on trains, said the commissioner.
“Thieves often take advantage of large crowds that gather to board trains. Besides, many people are inattentive while talking and keep their phones in their hand while standing at the door, which makes snatching easy,” he said.
Thefts of mobile phones, laptops and luggage are most common on railway premises, followed by molestation cases, said Kalasagar. Four railway police personnel are deployed in every local train including in ladies compartments to curb such cases, he said.
“Along similar lines, we will join forces with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and deploy two personnel on every long-distance train,” said Kalasagar.
“Most crimes are committed for the purpose of theft. Our teams will keep an eye on such activities and bring down crimes,” he said.
758 RPF posts vacant
While efforts are underway to enhance security on long-distance trains, the RPF is severely understaffed, with 758 posts lying vacant. The vacancies span 25% posts for officers and 16% posts for employees. The recruitment process for the vacancies would be started soon, said Kalasagar.