Man pushes 44-year-old out of local train in Mumbai to steal wallet, arrested

Victim falls on platform, crowd nabs accused, who is wanted in at least 31 cases

A 42-year-old man, wanted in at least 31 cases of theft and robbery, was arrested late on Monday while allegedly pickpocketing a salesman and pushing him out of a local train to escape near Dadar railway station.

Sharad Thotam shouted to alert people on the platform as the accused, Ibrahim Shaikh, tried to flee, the police said. (HT Photo)

According to the Dadar government railway police (GRP), Sharad Dhaku Thotam, 44, boarded a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-bound train from Thane around 09.30pm, to visit a relative in Dadar.

“I was near the footboard as the train approached Dadar station when I felt a hand inside my back pocket. I realised almost immediately my wallet had been stolen,” said Thotam.

“I grabbed the collar of the man [Ibrahim Shaikh] whom I suspected had taken my wallet. He then pushed me from the train and jumped out,” said Thotam.

According to the police, Thotam fell on his face and injured his shoulder. “I would have been pushed on to the tracks if the incident happened a minute earlier,” said Thotam.

“I was about to faint when I saw Shaikh had been caught by the people,” said Thotam.

The crowd began beating Shaikh up when GRP constables intervened, the police said.

“We took Shaikh and Thotam to the hospital as both had sustained injuries,” said Prasad Pandhare, senior police inspector, Dadar GRP.

According to the police, a stolen mobile phone and₹8,000 in three wallets, including Thotam’s, were recovered from Shaikh’s pockets. Of the 31 cases against Shaikh, 10 were at Andheri, 4 at Mumbra, 3 at Dadar, 3 in Navi Mumbai, 3 at Mankhurd, 3 at Kurla, 2 at Borivli, 2 at Bandra and 1 at Thane.

According to Pandhare, Shaikh, a resident of Mankhurd, had been externed from Andheri for two years since this September. “Shaikh was wanted in several cases. We arrested Shaikh for robbery and presented him before court,” said Pandhare.

CAUGHT BY THE CROWD

Ibrahim Shaikh, 42, was arrested for pickpocketing a local train commuter late on Monday. He has at least 31 cases of theft and robbery against him

How it happened

44-year-old Sharad Thotam boards a CSMT-bound train from Thane on Monday around 09.30pm

When the train approaches platform 3 at Dadar station, Thotam goes and stands near the footboard

Thotam feels a hand in his back pocket and realises his wallet has been stolen. He grabs the accused’s collar, after which the accused pushes him and jumps out

Thotam falls on the platform, injures his head and shoulder. Thotam screams and alerts people on the platform, who catch Shaikh and beat him up

The GRP constables on duty intervene and arrest Shaikh.