GUNTUR: Incidents of chain snatching from passengers in running trains have been on the rise in Guntur division of South Central Railway for the past few weeks giving officials sleepless nights.

Railway security officials are busy chalking out strategies to apprehend the culprits. There were 17 cases of chain snatching and loss of luggage reported since April 1.

The police are yet to identify the culprits and recover the stolen amount or ornaments in many cases. A Majority of the incidents occurred between Cumbum-Markapur and Nadikudi-Piduguralla stations.

Local angle

Repetition of the crime has been baffling the railway officials and there is a widespread belief that these incidents were taking place with the connivance of the local police.

"We have known about many such gangs earlier, which operate with the help of the local government railway police, especially those at the lower level," said D. Venkat Rao, a retired claims inspector of the railways.

Long-distance trains passing through the division during night, isolated and small railway stations, stopping at small stations to enable passing of other trains on the single railway track and lack of sufficient policing seem to be working in favour of the offenders.

The police suspect that a gang is operating in the division indulging in series of offences across various stations.

Recent incidents

Last Thursday, two incidents of chain snatching were reported from Piduguralla and Cumbum stations.

A passenger travelling by Hyderabad-Narsapur Express had complained to the police on the loss of gold valued at Rs. 80,000 and Rs. 30,000 at Piduguralla station.

Another passenger complained of chain snatching at Cumbum station while he was travelling by Bhubaneshwar-Bangalore Prasanthi Express. Just a week earlier, gold valued at Rs. 12,000 was stolen at Piduguralla station from a passenger travelling by Secunderabad-Bhubaneshwar Visakha Express.

Guntur Divisional Security Commissioner Shadan Zeb Khan said that special patrol parties were posted at various stations and additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) men deputed for different trains, which were passing through the division during the night.

He was confident that the gang would be nabbed soon.

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