Man jumps off moving train to nab member of fatka gang in Mumbai

A 22-year-old man helped the Wadala government railway police (GRP) arrest a member of a fatka gang on Tuesday, by jumping off a train and chasing after him. Police

A 22-year-old man helped the Wadala government railway police (GRP) arrest a member of a fatka gang on Tuesday, by jumping off a train and chasing after him. Police recovered ₹1.26 lakh of stolen property from the accused, 20-year-old Noor Shaikh.

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The incident occurred around 9.30am when Antop Hill resident Jitendra Chauhan, 22, was standing on the footboard of a local train, talking on his mobile phone.

He felt a jolt on his arm and dropped his phone worth ₹14,000 on the tracks. Chauhan saw Shaikh pick up the phone and immediately jumped off the running train to chase after him. With the help of other commuters, he caught Shaikh and handed him over the Wadala GRP.

“I was travelling to Andheri from Sion when the incident took place. I was standing in the first-class compartment and talking on the phone when something hit my hand. I felt a jolt which forced me to drop my phone,” said Chauhan in his statement.

“After realising that I had been hit by a robber, I looked down to see a man picking up my phone. I jumped off but luckily the train was moving slowly as it was about to leave the platform. I started chasing the robber and a few commuters jumped down to help me. I was able to catch the robber a few metres from Mahim station,” said Chauhan.

Police said that Shaikh had been released from prison on October 11 and had resumed committing robberies between Wadala and Mahim railway stations.

Rajendra Pal, senior police inspector of Wadala GRP said the accused hid behind a pole near the tracks and hit commuters with a stick so that they would drop their belongings.

The Wadala GRP arrested Shaikh for robbery under section 392 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). On searching his house they found several laptops and mobile phones worth lakhs.