They aim to rob rail commuters,but end up killing them

They used to hit the commuters of moving local trains on the footboard with a stick and collect the belongings of their victims from the tracks.

They used to hit the commuters of moving local trains on the footboard with a stick and collect the belongings of their victims from the tracks. Though they aim only to rob the commuters,this modus operandi has led to a number of deaths between Sion and Matunga stations.

Rizwan Shamshuddin Ansari,18,who was arrested by the Railway Protection Force,Dadar (Central Railway),for stealing cables,admitted that he and his friend Naeem Ansari,19,have been doing it for a long time. According to senior police inspector Ajay Sansare of Dadar (CR),Rizwan was arrested while stealing copper from cables on the tracks. Cops have recovered a knife from him while Naeem is absconding. During interrogation,Rizwan said he used to target commuters who were holding bags in their hands. Naeem used to collect the belongings dropped by the commuters after being hit. And they used to flee from the spot immediately after.

Rizwan was produced before the Railway Court at CST and remanded to judicial custody till April 2. The GRP,is also trying to seek his custody. After the RPF custody,the Government Railway Police will take Rizwan into custody. The GRP will also lodge a case against him, said NG Kulkarni,senior police inspector,GRP,Dadar,Central Railway.

Rizwan is a resident of Bharat Nagar,Bandra,and his father owns a hostel. According to police sources,such cases are on the rise between Sion and Matunga stations. While it was eight cases of falling down from trains in 2006,it went up to 12 in 2007 and 23 in 2008. In 2009,three people have died so far after falling from trains.

A local farmer said,These goons stand hiding behind the signal poles. When the trains come nearer,they hit the commuters on their hands and collect the belongings. There are even instances of commuters turning after being hit and colliding with poles.

Most of these cases occur on slow tracks. Most of the deaths occur after the commuters fell into gutters. Such cases were reported between Santacruz and Vile Parle also,but have been minimised owing to police efforts, sources said.

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