Railway police have arrested a 24-year-old man accused of pickpocketing dozens of train passengers and recovered 49 stolen mobile phones valued at approximately ₹28.3 lakh.
The suspect, Suraj Paswan from West Bengal, mainly targeted travelers on premium trains like Vande Bharat, assuming they would carry expensive phones.
His arrest followed an investigation into a complaint filed on July 2 by Siddalingappa S Kori, a college office superintendent, who lost his iPhone while boarding the Golgumbaz Express at KSR railway station.
S.K. Soumyalatha, superintendent of police (railways), said a special team was set up after receiving multiple similar complaints. CCTV footage from the station and surrounding areas confirmed Suraj’s involvement in several thefts.
Based on intelligence inputs, officers traced Suraj to a rented apartment in Marathahalli, where he had been staying with friends for six months. He was detained on July 9.
During a search of the residence, police seized 49 phones, including 13 iPhones and various high-end Android devices. Investigators believe Suraj is part of a broader pickpocket gang. His accomplices, who were absent during the raid, remain untraced.
According to officials, Suraj moved to Bengaluru seeking employment but turned to theft. He and his associates would deliberately bump into passengers pretending to rush onto trains. In the chaos, they would steal phones and exit swiftly through a different door.
Authorities are working to identify the owners of the recovered devices and continue efforts to locate the remaining gang members.