A Bihar-based gang that drugged and robbed train passengers on the Malabar Express has been busted by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Kozhikode, Kerala, leading to arrests and the recovery of stolen goods.
The RPF team has busted a Bihar-based gang that drugged train passengers and looted their valuables, officials said on Sunday.
The arrested were identified as Abdulla (34), Muhammed Mahamood Alam (35) and Muhammed Safar (40), all hailing from Araria district in Bihar.
According to Railway Protection Force officials, the accused, while travelling on the Malabar Express from Mangaluru to Kozhikode on March 13, allegedly mixed sedatives in a biscuit and offered it to a co-passenger.
After the victim became unconscious, the gang stole his valuables, including cash, mobile phones and a laptop.
Following a complaint, the RPF, along with the Railway Police, launched a probe.
The team led by RPF Inspector Varghese J checked CCTV footage from Mangaluru Central to Tirur railway stations as part of the investigation.
A major lead emerged when three suspects were identified from CCTV cameras at Kozhikode railway station, officials said.
The RPF team then extended the probe to lodges in Kozhikode, from where the phone number of one of the suspects was obtained.
After tracking the suspects using their mobile phone numbers, they were intercepted at Kozhikode railway station on Sunday, officials said.
During the search, the RPF recovered the stolen belongings of the passenger along with five other mobile phones, pills and food substances suspected to have been used for drugging victims.
Officials said the gang had allegedly been involved in similar incidents earlier, and cases have been registered against them.
The accused were later handed over to the Railway Police, who recorded their arrest, and they will be produced before a court on Monday, officials added.
The operation named Rail Prahari was supervised by RPF Deputy Security Commissioner Naveen Prashanth.
RPF and Railway Police officials part of the operation are Sanal Kumar, Shiju K M, Ranjith K C, Mahesh C K, Ajeesh O K, Byju, E K Radhakrishnan, C Abbas, Midhun and Jose.