19 May,2026 01:27 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
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A 27-year-old labourer was allegedly kidnapped from a long-distance train in Maharashtra's Thane district by a man posing as a Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer, police said on Tuesday, reported PTI.
The accused allegedly assaulted the victim, forcibly took him off the train at Kasara railway station and later demanded Rs 10,000 from his family for his release, reported PTI.
Police have launched a search operation to trace both the missing labourer and the unidentified suspect.
According to police, the incident took place on Sunday aboard the Hatia Superfast Express, which was travelling from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to Hatia in Jharkhand, reported PTI.
The victim, identified as Sunil Narayan Saw, was travelling in the general compartment along with friends when an unidentified man approached him claiming to be an RPF officer, reported PTI.
Officials said the suspect was dressed in a green shirt and black trousers and accused Saw of allegedly teasing a female passenger on the train.
The accused then allegedly assaulted the labourer and forcibly removed him from the train at Kasara railway station, claiming he was being taken to a police station for questioning, reported PTI.
According to the complaint filed by the victim's cousin, the accused later contacted the family using Saw's mobile phone and demanded Rs 10,000 for his release, reported PTI.
The caller allegedly told the complainant that the money should be transferred through UPI and threatened serious consequences if the payment was not made.
Police said the complainant initially transferred Re 1 to verify the account details provided by the caller. The amount was reportedly received successfully, after which the accused continued making repeated calls demanding the remaining money, reported PTI.
Realising that his cousin had likely been abducted, the complainant approached the Asangaon Railway Police and lodged a formal complaint.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case under sections related to kidnapping for ransom and impersonating a public servant under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Officials said the case has been registered under Section 140(2), which deals with kidnapping for ransom, and Section 204, related to impersonating a public servant.
Senior inspector Sachin More said multiple police teams have been formed to investigate the case and trace the victim, reported PTI.
"We are conducting a probe into the case. Multiple teams have launched a search for the kidnapped man," More said.
Police confirmed that the family has not paid the ransom demanded by the accused.
Investigators are currently analysing mobile phone details and digital payment records linked to the UPI account used by the suspect.
Authorities are also examining CCTV footage from Kasara railway station and nearby areas in an attempt to identify the accused and trace the movement of the victim after he was taken off the train.
The incident has raised concerns over passenger safety on long-distance trains and misuse of law enforcement identities to commit crimes.
(With inputs from PTI)
