Acting on a tip-off during the investigation, the Railway Police laid a trap on July 2, 2025. The suspect, identified as Shyam Ramakant Baranwal (34), was apprehended near the Byculla Railway premises while attempting to dispose of stolen mobile phones
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The Special Task Force of the Crime Branch, Mumbai Railway Police Commissionerate, has busted a mobile theft racket, arrested a notorious phone thief and recovered 49 stolen handsets worth Rs 20.89 lakh. The arrest exposed a gang systematically targeting commuters during crowded train journeys and large public events across India.
Acting on a tip-off during the investigation, the Railway Police laid a trap on July 2, 2025. The suspect, identified as Shyam Ramakant Baranwal (34), was apprehended near the Byculla Railway premises while attempting to dispose of stolen mobile phones. A search of his possessions led to the seizure of 49 smartphones of various brands, including Apple, OnePlus, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, Redmi, and more—collectively valued at Rs 20,89,914.
According to police sources, the case came to light after 19-year-old Sujit Sagun Kamble, a resident of Ulhasnagar, filed a complaint on January 25, 2025. Kamble was travelling in the general compartment of the UP Gorakhpur Express when, around 3:15 PM between Ambivali and Shahad railway stations, his phone was stolen amid the jostling crowd. He alleged it was a deliberate act by an unknown individual. Based on his complaint, the Kalyan Railway Police registered a case under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Under the supervision of DCP Pragya Zedge, with key inputs from Sr. PI Vijay Khedkar, PI Rohit Sawant, and API Abhijit Bhupendra Taylor, along with a dedicated technical and field team, officers cracked this racket.
“Baranwal, a resident of Kailash Tower, Nalasopara (East), and a native of Rampur village in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, has a long criminal history with 14 prior cases registered against him across multiple police stations under the Mumbai Railway Police jurisdiction. He was arrested at 10:45 PM on July 2 and has been remanded to police custody until July 12, 2025,” said an officer.
Preliminary investigations suggest Baranwal is part of a wider interstate mobile theft syndicate that operates during festivals, railway rush hours, and large-scale public gatherings. His gang would take advantage of chaos and crowds to pickpocket high-end phones, later selling them in black markets.
“So far, 13 past mobile theft cases have been linked to the recovered phones, including: 10 cases from Kalyan Railway Police Station, 1 case from Puri Town Police Station, Odisha, 1 case from Mumbai Central Railway Police Station, and 1 case from Dashashwamedh Police Station, Varanasi, UP. Further investigation is underway,” the officer added.
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