The history-sheeter tried to snatch the commuter’s phone, thinking he was asleep; when the victim raised an alarm, the accused stabbed him twice
A mobile phone thief has been arrested for stabbing a passenger in an express train. The accused, a history sheeter, had been externed by the railway police a year ago. However, he kept making trips to the city.
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Thirty-year-old Dinesh Singh is a habitual offender and has several cases pending against him. Singh’s modus operandi involved getting into the sleeper class coaches of long distance trains in the morning, mostly from Borivli station. While passengers were sleeping, he would steal their phones.
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He was caught in the act last year and externed from the city by GRP. On July 12, 24-year-old Shivaji Gaikwad was returning from Jamnagar in Saurashtra Express Mail after dropping his relative. When the train halted at Borivli, the accused got into the sleeper compartment.
He started picking phones of the sleeping passengers. While the train was approaching Bandra, he snatched Gaikwad’s phone as well, who noticed Singh. When Gaikwad raised an alarm, the accused took out a knife, stabbed him twice on the chest, and ran. Gaikwad was rushed to hospital.
“We asked Gaikwad about the accused, and his description matched Singh’s. Since we knew his whereabouts, a team was sent and Singh was arrested,” said Police Sub-inspector Callistus D’mello. Singh has been charged under section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of IPC and various sections of the Maharashtra Police Act.
“The accused, Singh, will be externed again and tough action will be taken against him this time,” D’mello added. Gaikwad is out of danger and recuperating at a private hospital in Navi Mumbai. Cops said that had Singh stabbed him a few inches below, he could have died on the spot.
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