Delhi: RPF Northern Railway nabs criminals using CCTV

Railway Protection Force (RPF), Northern Railway caught a laptop thief within four minutes of theft through a combination of live CCTV feed and alertness of the on-duty personnel.

A special team under Inspector, RPF Hazrat Nizamuddin, Krishan Kumar, was formed and deployed to keep a sharp eye on passengers alighting from offside, during arrival and departure of trains.

During the analysis of cases of laptop and mobile lifting, it was observed that thieves usually de-board from the off side of trains, therefore, monitoring and tracking of the criminals was started from the offside.

On June 28, constable Satyendra Yadav while monitoring live streaming of CCTV at Nizamuddin station alerted the special team that one suspect with laptop bag was seen de-boarding from the off side of train no.12963, Mewar Express which halted at platform No 5.

The suspect was followed up with the help of live tracking and guidance from CCTV control and apprehended by Sub Inspector R S Kinha within 04 minutes. Later after further investigation, he was found to be a repeat offender.

Stolen property worth Rs 1.1 lakh was recovered from him which included 1 Dell laptop and 03 purses with total cash of Rs 35,000. The accused also confessed of committing similar crimes at Anand Vihar Terminal Railway Station and at New Delhi Railway Station.

4 cases of Laptop thefts were solved using his confessions.

"The identification, tracking and arrest of criminal through live monitoring of CCTV is the real use of the technology. Electronic Eye and cops disguised as passengers have constantly been maintaining surveillance," AN Jha, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner of Delhi Division said.