‘Frequent flier’ grounded for theft

Railway police made a high-profile catch on Monday when they arrested a woman for chain snatching in a local train between Kurla and Dadar stations.

Shanti Khatri, 56, a widow who stays alone in Ulhasnagar, was allegedly involved in smuggling. She had made many foreign trips, including 18 to England and Singapore, for the past 30 years. She used to bring back gold biscuits by concealing them in her undergarments. “She was in dire need of money as she was a heavy gambler, and had lost all her wealth. She started chain snatching in local trains since the five to six months.” said senior police inspector Shivaji Shinde of Dadar railway police station. Khatri had married twice, but both her husbands died. She had four sons, of which two of prolonged illness, while the other two are working in private companies.

On Monday, constables Anita Patil and Manjula Pingale were patrolling the ladies compartment of a CST-bound train when they noticed Khatri trying to snatch a gold earring from a commuter as the train was approaching Dadar station. The duo nabbed her,” said police inspector Prakash Mansukh of Dadar railway police station. A mobile phone and Rs8,000 in cash was recovered from her. She was remanded in police custody till August 14 by CST railway court on Tuesday.