2 members of "fatka gang" held for snatching mobile phones

Two persons, suspected to be the members of "fatka gang", have been arrested for allegedly snatching mobile phones from passengers travelling on long distance and local trains on Central Line, the GRP said today.

The duo, arrested from Kalyan railway station recently, are currently in judicial custody.

The accused, identified as Ajit Jhade and Deepak Thokal, are part of a gang that targets commuters standing on footborads of trains, said DCP, GRP (Central Railway), Samadhan Pawar.

He said the members of the "fatka gang" typically perch themselves atop a signal or electricity poles along railway tracks and hit commuters with a stick or hands when the train slows down.

"Before the startled commuters could react, they grab their mobile phones and flee," the officer said.

"Over the past few weeks, we had received several such complaints at Kalayan station," Pawar said, adding that they had nabbed Jhade a few days ago whose interrogation led them to Thokal.

The accused duo have ten cases pending against them with the Kalyan GRP, he said, adding that as many as 20 mobile phones of various brands have been recovered from their possession.

They have been booked under sections 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC, another official said.

The GRP has also arrested two persons, identified as Gautam Shonwane and Sanjay More, for allegedly buying the stolen handsets, he said.

They have been booked under section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the IPC.