The Mumbai Government Railway Police (GRP) recently solved a case involving the theft of a valuable phone worth Rs 2 lakh at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). But the case surprised many as a pair of chappal helped the railway police solve the theft case.
The theft incident was reportedly captured in a CCTV, but it was not clear. Despite the blurry CCTV images of the suspect, the police managed to crack the case within two days.
According to a report from the Times of India, by closely examining the suspect's footwear and gait, the GRP personnel utilised their ingenuity to bring the culprits to justice.
All About the Theft and Initial Investigation
According to the TOI report, on May 24, a female passenger who worked for Central Railways reported the theft of her phone from a ladies first-class compartment at CSMT. She had placed the phone on the seat and noticed it was missing when she got off the coach.
To address the situation, she promptly filed a complaint with the CSMT GRP. The police relied on the station's surveillance cameras to gather evidence.
Although they captured footage of the suspect leaving the station through the main gate after exiting the ladies coach, the suspect's face was blurred in the footage. Nevertheless, the investigators persisted and decided to concentrate on other identifiable features.
Assistant Inspector Satish Shirsat explained the situation with careful consideration, "She found herself uncertain about whether she had misplaced her handset or if it had been snatched away by a thief. To shed light on the matter, we promptly initiated a thorough examination of the surveillance camera footage obtained from the station."
With determination, he continued, "Our investigation led us to a crucial breakthrough. The footage clearly captured the image of a man disembarking from the ladies' coach, after which he exited the station through the main gate."
On May 26, while closely observing platforms 1/2, the police noticed a man named Hemraj Bansiwal wearing the same distinctive footwear seen in the CCTV footage.
Furthermore, his gait matched that of the suspect.
During questioning, Bansiwal admitted to picking up the phone from a train, driven by temptation and financial need.
He then sold the phone to his friend Devilal Chauhan, a shoe repairman, for a mere Rs 3,500, unaware of its actual value, according to a report in the Times of India.
With the help of the information provided by Bansiwal, the police arrested Chauhan and successfully retrieved the stolen phone.