BHUBANESWAR: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Sunday launched ‘Operation Yatri Surakshya’ and arrested six members of a gang for their alleged involvement in stealing the mobile phones and other belongings of pilgrims visiting Puri for Rath Yatra.
Railway sources said, the group was conspiring to commit dacoity in night-running trains operating between Puri and Khurda road section when it was intercepted at the coaching complex in Puri.
The RPF team recovered 23 stolen mobile handsets, cash amounting to Rs 24,450, and other incriminating articles, with the total value of recovered property estimated at Rs 7.13 lakh.
During preliminary interrogation, the accused confessed to multiple incidents of mobile phone theft from passengers at railway stations and passenger areas. They were also actively planning a dacoity in passenger trains.
The arrested persons along with the recovered stolen property were handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP), Puri.
A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).