Woman robs AC local commuters while boarding train

A 53-year-old woman was arrested for robbing AC train commuters in Mumbai. She targeted commuters during the 10-second window before the train doors closed.

Mumbai: A 53-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday for robbing AC train commuters without boarding the locals. “The accused just got a 10-second window until the commuters could get inside the train and the doors closed,” said Sachin Ingavale, senior police inspector of Vasai Government Railway Police (GRP).

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The arrested accused has been identified as Anita Chavan, who stays in Kargil Nagar in Virar East. Ingavale said that on April 26, they had received a complaint from a commuter who was travelling from Nalasopara to Virar at 6pm when the incident occurred. The officers said the commuter had a bag containing her mangalsutra worth ₹1 lakh, her mobile phone and ₹4,000 cash. The complainant told the police that as it was crowded to board the train, she had to push her way inside and did not notice that the zip of her bag was slightly open.

“After she got in, and the doors closed, she realised that the zip of her bag had been opened completely and her mangalsutra and mobile were missing,” said Ingavale.

The woman then approached the Vasai GRP and registered a complaint. The police started checking the CCTVs of the platforms and entry points of Nalasopara station and spotted Chavan at the spot where the commuter was robbed. The police then laid a trap on Nalasopara and Virar stations during peak hours and kept a watch.

“We identified Chavan and arrested her on Saturday when she entered the Nalasopara station on Saturday,” said Ingavale. The police questioned her and recovered the gold mangalsutra and mobile from her possession.

“We are now trying to find out how many more robberies she had committed,” added Ingavale.