Robbers Active at Balasore Railway Station: Railway Protection Force on Alert for Passenger Safety
* Mobile phone snatcher arrested; three phones worth ₹42,000 seized * Mobile snatching incidents reported from trains near Golapola
Balasore, February 5 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty): Incidents of mobile phone theft are on the rise in Balasore town. At times hospitals, at other times the railway station, thieves appear to be operating everywhere. Robbers have become particularly active at the railway station, leaving passengers feeling insecure.
Reports indicate that mobile phones are frequently being stolen, especially from women and young girls.
Recently, during a routine checking at Balasore Railway Station, a mobile phone snatcher was apprehended. Three mobile phones were recovered from his possession, valued at around ₹42,000. A preliminary investigation revealed that all the phones had been snatched from passengers near the Golapola area.
It has come to light that when trains slow down near Golapol, several mobile snatchers lie in wait and steal phones from passengers. Similar complaints regarding such incidents had been received earlier as well.
Notably, in connection with cases of theft of passenger belongings (TOPB) at Balasore Railway Station, a joint operation was conducted by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP). During the operation, late at night, personnel noticed a suspicious person sitting alone in a dark corner near the Kharagpur-end of Platform No. 1.
On being questioned, the individual failed to provide any satisfactory explanation for his presence at the station and could not produce any valid travel documents. Further interrogation and search led to the recovery of three mobile phones worth ₹42,000 from his possession. The person confessed that he had snatched the mobile phones from passengers when trains were moving slowly near the Golapola area and was attempting to dispose of them for personal gain.
Following due legal procedure, the recovered mobile phones were seized, and the accused, along with the seized items, was handed over to GRP Balasore for further action.
The Railway Protection Force has reiterated its commitment to ensuring passenger safety, preventing crimes in railway premises, and extending humanitarian assistance to vulnerable individuals.
