Mumbai News: GRP Recovers 684 Stolen Phones Worth ₹1.11 Crore In Special Operation; Inter-State Theft Gang Busted

The Government Railway Police (GRP), Mumbai have recovered 684 stolen mobile phones valued at Rs.1.11 crore in a special recovery operation conducted across June and July 2025.

In a symbolic gesture held on Friday at Navrang Hall, Ghatkopar, 50 of these recovered phones were handed back to their rightful owners or family members. The remaining 634 phones are currently in police custody and will be returned in the coming weeks, officials said.

The Government Railway Police have urged victims of mobile phone thefts to visit their nearest railway police station for verification and collection. Officers stated that efforts are ongoing to match recovered devices with reported thefts.

During the operation, the Railway Police busted an inter-state mobile theft gang. The Railway Police had received information that a history-sheeter, Shyam Ramakant Barnwal, 34, would be arriving at Byculla railway station. Acting on the tip-off, the police laid a trap and arrested him. Upon inspection, they recovered 49 premium mobile phones including iPhones, OnePlus, Samsung, and Vivo models valued at Rs.20.89 lakh.The accused are from Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, and the gang was active on Mumbai local trains as well as various express trains across the country. They specifically targeted passengers during festivals and holidays, as the crowds made it easier for them to steal mobile phones.

The large-scale recovery operation was initiated by M. Kalasagar, Commissioner of Mumbai Railway Police, shortly after he assumed office on May 18, 2025. Upon reviewing the rise in commuter complaints and analyzing crime patterns, Kalasagar prioritized mobile phone thefts as a pressing issue affecting daily train passengers.

"Eight dedicated teams comprising five local police units and three Crime Branch squads were mobilised under divisional Assistant Commissioners of Police. In total, the task force included 3 officers and 39 constables. Their mission: to track and recover stolen mobile phones reported in 2023, 2024, and 2025, not only within Maharashtra but also in other states," said an official.

Nerul Unit 5: Thief Nabbed While Targeting Sleeping Commuters

In another success, police apprehended repeat offender Pankaj Yadav near Nerul station on July 18. He was responsible for stealing a Rs 43,000 Vivo phone from Mahendra Balaram Shide during a local train ride from Kurla to CSMT. A total of seven stolen phones worth Rs 1.55 lakh were recovered from Yadav, who primarily targeted sleeping passengers.

Multiple FIRs Cracked with Single Arrest

On July 4, during routine patrols, police arrested Karan Vitthal Lashkare in Nerul. He confessed to stealing six mobile phones linked to four separate FIRs filed at Vashi Railway Police Station. The phones, worth Rs 70,000, included devices from OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo, and Itel.

According to Kalasagar, technology and inter-state coordination played a vital role in the operation. “This is just the beginning. We are committed to making the railway network safer for everyone. Every stolen phone we recover is a small victory for justice,” Kalasagar said during the handover ceremony organized on Friday. The event was attended by victims, senior officers, and members of the public.