World Sight Day stunner: Blind thief-catcher in Dadar station drama

On World Sight Day as Kishor Gohil waited for a train at Dadar station he felt a hand in his pocket ndash the pocket that held his iPhone Visually impaired since birth the 44yearold was determined that the pickpocket shouldnrsquot get away Thinking on his feet he first tripped the crook and then pinned him to the ground until the police arrivedKishor Gohil was accompanying a friendrsquos daughter to Mira Road when accused Pratik Bhendkar extreme top right tried flicking his iPhoneIronically while World Sight Day is marked to increase global attention on blindness and vision impairment Gohil was struck by the apathy of fellow commuters who stood around as the thief struggled to get out of his clutchesAlso Read World Sight Day A salute to the vision of visually impairedKishor Gohil and his friendrsquos daughter were waiting at Dadar station for a Virar fast train IllustrationsUday MohiteYesterday Gohil had gone to Dadar station with his friendrsquos daughter ldquoShe was not feeling well so I was going to drop her to Mira Road We were standing at platform number 3 waiting for the 307 pm Virar fast train We were standing near the handicapped section when I felt someonersquos hand in the pocket where I had kept my iPhone 5SHe felt someonersquos hand in his pocket and instantly suspected a thief was after his iPhoneThe person was about to pull it out but I caught hold of his hand I started shouting lsquochor chorrsquo when the thief pushed me awayrdquo Gohil told middayBefore the crook could get away he stuck his leg out and sent him crashing to the groundldquoI immediately stretched my foot out and sent the thief crashing to the ground I grabbed his legs and pinned him to the ground Once again I began to yell The thief struggled hard but I was determined to keep him there till the police arrivedrdquo added the Ambernath resident who is part of a band called Roshni which includes visuallyimpaired musiciansRead Story Through the lens of the visually impaired An eye for detail He grabbed the thiefrsquos legs and pinned him down until the police arrivedThe Railway Protection Force RPF police were there within minutes recalled his friendrsquos daughter adding ldquoI was a little shocked by the incident but the police arrived and nabbed the accused After that a few people also came forward to helprdquoThe 24yearold accused will be presented in court todayBut Gohil is disappointed that no one came to his aid earlier ldquoI cannot see but people who can did not come forward to help me nab the thief I donrsquot understand why the platform was crowdedrdquo he saidThe accused was taken to the Dadar RPF station and identified as Pratik Bhendkar 24 a resident of Bhayandar He was handed over to the Mumbai Central Government Railway Police GRP who registered the casePolice Inspector Ravindra Dalvi of Mumbai Central GRP said ldquoThe accused does not seem to be a repeat offender We have registered a case under Section 379 theft of the IPC and will produce him in court on FridayrdquoldquoIf I can do it the sighted should also be alert and come forward to nab criminals Mobile thefts occur frequently on local trains I am amazed that the thief did not even spare a blind personrdquo Gohil told this paperCops impressedldquoI appreciate Gohil for his alertness We will reward him for his bravery Most people who witness such incidents ignore it but he took action We will also try to get his phone back from the court as soon as possiblerdquo the inspector addedGohilrsquos collegegoing son Aman said ldquoI am proud of my father He is visually impaired since birth but is more alert and active than the sightedrdquo