Brahmapur: The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Odisha’s Brahmapur on Saturday arrested a former pantry car attendant in connection with the theft of valuables from train passengers after CCTV footage directly exposed the suspect in action.
The accused has been identified as Kanhu Charan Sahu a resident of Kulada village under Bhanjanagar police limits.
The incident unfolded on September 10, when a passenger arriving at Berhampur railway station from Andhra Pradesh aboard the Prashanti Express reported that their bag, containing substantial valuables, had been stolen from the first-class AC (A1) coach. Promptly initiating an investigation, GRP officials turned to surveillance feeds from both the train coaches and the railway station premises.
The CCTV footage proved to be the pivotal piece of evidence, capturing clear video of the culprit operating inside the coach. Crucially, the visual evidence showed the suspect methodically searching through the victim’s bag and selectively stealing genuine gold items, leaving behind imitation jewellery.
Thereafter, the GRP personnel launched a targeted tracking operation combining technical surveillance and mobile network location data from the suspect’s phones and soon cornered and arrested him in his native place. A massive haul of stolen property, including 39 grams of gold ornaments, comprising two rings, two pairs of earrings, and a gold chain, alongside ₹4 lakh in cash, three mobile phones, and a laptop, were seized from his possession.
Officials noted that he had previously worked as a pantry car boy on the same Prashanti Express, giving him familiarity with train operations and passenger movements.
GRP personnel further disclosed that Sahu has a prior criminal record and has been linked to several other theft and burglary cases registered at Bhanjanagar police station. Further investigation is underway to determine whether he is connected to any wider network of train thefts in the region.
