Gold Mangalsutra Worth Rs 6 Lakh Stolen on Dadar–Puducherry Express; Woman Arrested Near Pune Station
Pune, 6th May 2026: A joint operation by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) Pune has led to the detection of a high-value theft involving passenger belongings worth ₹6.26 lakh on board Train No. 11021 Dadar–Puducherry Express.
According to officials, the case was reported through a Rail Madad complaint by a passenger travelling with his wife from Dadar to Bengaluru in coach S-7. The theft occurred between Lonavala and Pune railway stations, where a handbag belonging to the woman passenger went missing during the journey.
The stolen items included a 45-gram gold mangalsutra valued at ₹6 lakh, a mobile phone worth ₹16,000, ₹10,000 in cash, and personal documents. Following the complaint, GRP Pune registered a case (CR No. 10/2026) and initiated an investigation.
RPF Pune began immediate surveillance and technical analysis, scanning CCTV footage from multiple railway stations along the route. During the review, officials identified suspicious women boarding the train at Lonavala and deboarding near Pune railway station. Investigators also cross-checked past crime records and photographs of known offenders.
Officials said members of the RPF’s Tejaswani team, including head constables Swati Navale and Shilpa Ukade, had been monitoring suspicious movements at Pune railway station as part of ongoing anti-theft measures, which contributed to identifying the suspects.
Based on technical inputs and information from informers, a joint team of RPF and GRP/Local Crime Branch (LCB) Pune laid a trap near Pune railway station on May 4. One woman was apprehended along with a minor girl.
During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to committing the theft along with associates on the moving train between Lonavala and Pune.
The woman has been arrested by GRP/LCB Pune, while procedures concerning the minor have been initiated as per law. Efforts are underway to recover the stolen property and trace other accused involved in the case.
