Pune: Rs 35.45 Lakh Theft on Indore–Daund Express Cracked in 48 Hours; Accused Arrested, Entire Valuables Recovered
Reported by Amit Singh
Pune, 23rd June 2025: A high-value theft involving jewellery and cash worth ₹35.45 lakh aboard the 22944 Indore–Daund Express was solved within 48 hours by coordinated efforts of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and Local Crime Branch (LCB).
The incident occurred on June 20 in Coach A-2 of the train en route from Indore to Lonavala. A 73-year-old woman from Indore reported the theft of her handbag containing diamond and gold jewellery, including a diamond bracelet, diamond necklace, rings, a gold watch, a gold chain, and ₹50,000 in cash. The passenger was travelling with her husband to attend a religious event in Lonavala. The theft was discovered early in the morning around 7:30 am, just before the train reached Lonavala.
The complaint was lodged with GRP Lonavala, and railway helpline number 139 was also contacted. Prompt response led to the formation of multiple investigation teams deployed across various stations along the route — including Indore, Dewas, Ujjain, Nagda, Ratlam, Vadodara, Surat, Vasai Road, Kalyan, and Lonavala.
CCTV footage revealed a suspect deboarding at Kalyan station without exiting the premises. Further surveillance and investigation confirmed the identity of the suspect as Mahesh Arun Ghag alias Vicky, a resident of Chembur, Mumbai. The individual, previously arrested in connection with theft cases, was reportedly out on bail for the past 15 days.
Police located the accused at a suspected hideout, where he was found attempting to avoid detection. A raid at the premises resulted in the recovery of the entire stolen property, which has since been returned to the affected family.
Railway and state police officials reiterated the importance of remaining alert during train travel and urged passengers to report any suspicious activity via helpline 139.
