31 October,2018 08:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Suraj Ojha
The GRP has also begun visible policing along with sniffer dogs across railway stations
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has caught hold of seven of the 16 accused that it had listed a month ago for being involved in mobile snatching, selling and buying rackets. The list made by the Western Railway wing of GRP has 16 names on it and a special team of 10 to 15 people under the guidance of GRP DCP Purshottam Karad has been tracing them, a police officer involved in the hunt said.
The gang is reportedly active between Churchgate and Palghar and the seven arrested accused are being tried under section 401 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). They have been identified as Abdul Wahid Mansuri, Shakil Khalil Shaikh, Deva Bhalerao, Khatif Shaikh, Ahmad Patel alias Babbu, Siddhesh Kakad, Imran Ali Sayyad alias Gudiya. Hunt for the rest is on.
Of the 16 on the list, 13 have been previously been caught red-handed committing other crimes and externed from the city by Zone VIII of the Mumbai Police for a year under section 56(1)(A) of the Mumbai Police Act.
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Sources also revealed that the GRP is planning to impose Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) charges on accused who are involved in multiple cases.
'Visible policing reduces crime rate'
The railway police force has also this year started visible policing in their jurisdiction. Senior Inspector Pramod Babar of GRP Andheri told mid-day that this began five months ago. "We have started random checks at all stations under our jurisdiction with visits that involve sniffer dogs to serve as deterrents to the accused and aid reduction in crime rates," he said.
"From 199 such cases in June, of which we arrested 28 accused, to 169 cases this month, of which 32 accused have been arrested, the number of cases is dropping," Babar added.
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