Jewellery worth ₹18 lakh was stolen from two passengers travelling on the Chennai-Mangaluru Superfast Express and Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Malabar Express in two separate incidents on Saturday.
In the first case, Ponni Maran, who was travelling from Kannur to Chennai on the Chennai-Mangaluru Superfast Express, claimed that she lost gold ornaments and diamonds worth ₹15 lakh. She reportedly came to know about the theft at 3.40 a.m. Railway Protection Force officials said she had around 21 sovereigns of gold in her possession and liquid cash of about ₹22,000.
In the second case, Praveena Premanand lost 9.5 sovereigns of gold, including gold chain, bangles and earrings which she had kept inside a handbag. She was travelling on the Malabar Express from Angamaly to Kanhangad, and the theft came to her notice at 6 a.m. The woman, hailing from Kasaragod district, has claimed a loss of about ₹3 lakh.
Cases registered
The Kozhikode and Kannur units of the Government Railway Police (GRP) have registered two separate cases under Section 379 (punishment for theft) of the Indian Penal Code. Statements of other train passengers have been recorded.
GRP sources said they suspected the involvement of the same gang behind both incidents. CCTV visuals were collected from various railway stations between Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai. RPF squads have intensified search operations and surveillance on all trains.
