Railway police expose mobile theft, digital fraud racket; four nabbed from Nashik
Mumbai (PTI): The Government Railway Police (GRP) have busted a gang involved in stealing mobile phones and siphoning money through illegal online transfers after arresting four persons from Nashik, an official said here on Thursday.
He said the gang’s method of operation involved borrowing mobile phones under the pretext of making a call and fleeing with them.
The GRP had received a complaint from a 24-year-old Kolkata resident in August about theft of his mobile phone at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and subsequent transfer of Rs 40,700 from his bank account, the official said.
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After working on several inputs, the railway police arrested four persons, identified as Shubham Tatya Modhale, Khudbuddin Bashir Shaikh, Nurmohammad Babu Madari and Altaf Nurmohammad Madari, from Nashik, and recovered three stolen mobile phones from them.
Police suspect the fraudsters, known as the ‘Madari’ gang, have targeted many persons, the official added.
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Karnataka: Home Department asks motorists to drive on highways with caution to avoid robbery
Belagavi: The Home Department has advised motorists to stay alert while travelling on national and state highways, warning that gangs involved in robbery and extortion have been active in several stretches. It said people should be extra cautious if anyone tries to stop their vehicle in isolated areas.
Replying to an unstarred question on Thursday, the department said Karnataka has recorded 403 highway robbery cases in the past three years. According to the data, national highways saw 81 extortion and 23 robbery cases in 2023, followed by 66 extortion and 16 robbery cases in 2024. Until November 15 this year, 51 extortion and 14 robbery cases have been reported.
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On state highways, 39 extortion and 17 robberies were reported in 2023, while 2024 saw 35 extortion and 22 robbery cases. In 2025 so far, 20 extortion and 19 robbery cases have taken place. The department noted that curbing highway robberies remains a major challenge for the police.
To tackle the issue, police stations have been directed to set up regular checkpoints on stretches of highways passing through their limits. Suspicious individuals and vehicles are being checked. Two-wheelers have been allocated to every station for night patrol, and staff have been instructed to conduct night rounds using vehicles fitted with sirens and red lights.
