THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A notorious mobile phone thief who operated across states and targeted railway passengers was arrested by the RPF on Saturday. The accused, Azad Mia, 22, from West Bengal, was taken into custody near the Power House Road behind the Thiruvananthapuram railway station while attempting to flee the premises.
Azad Mia had been on the radar for a series of mobile phone thefts on trains operating between Thiruvananthapuram and destinations like Kanyakumari and Bengaluru. He primarily targeted passengers on daytime trains, especially in crowded general compartments.
According to the police, Azad was highly skilled in lifting phones from women’s handbags and men’s pockets without raising suspicion. His modus operandi involved boarding the train like any other passenger, carrying out the theft, and exiting the train before it left the station. He would then leave the railway premises to avoid detection.