Government Railway Police nabs 4 of 'phatka' gang; seize 20 phones

Four members of the 'phatka' gang have been arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) for allegedly stealing mobile phones from long-distance and local trains on Central lines and have recovered as many as 20 mobile phones worth Rs 2 lakh from them.

The accused have been identified as Ajit Jhade, Deepak Thokal, Gautam Sonawane and Sanjay More, all between the age group of 20 and 25.

According to the police, while Jhade and Thokal would steal the mobile phone by hitting the commuters standing on footboards of slow-moving trains by a stick or hand, More and Sonawane would buy these phones. The police said they had received several complaints of mobile snatching using this modus operandi at Kalyan station. 

"Acting one such complaint, we nabbed one Ajit Jhade a few days ago and his interrogation led to the arrest of Deepak Thokal," said a police officer.

"They are part of a gang which used to hit the commuters standing on footboards of slow-moving trains with a stick or hands and grab their mobile phones, Upon enquiry it came to light that the accused have ten cases registered against them with Kalyan GRP and twenty mobile phone of various brands have been recovered from their possession," said Samadhan Pawar DCP, GRP (Central Railway).