Ex-Air Force Officer's Son Stole Train Passengers' Bags On 'Lucky Dates', Gave Empty Trolleys To Needy

A 30-year-old BTech graduate allegedly stole luggage from train passengers - targeting dates he considered lucky and gave away empty trolley bags to needy people after removing valuables. Deepak Maurya was arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Gwalior for allegedly stealing luggage from AC coaches of trains operating between Gwalior and Jhansi. According to police, he believed the 3rd, 5th and 7th of every month brought him luck and preferred these dates for his alleged thefts.

Police said Maurya, whose father was an Air Force officer, allegedly resorted to stealing to fulfil the wishes of his girlfriend, who lives in Delhi. He had reportedly told his family that he worked as an agent for a finance company.

The case came to light when GRP personnel caught Maurya carrying a trolley bag at Gwalior railway station late at night. His inability to produce a train ticket or provide a satisfactory explanation about the bag's contents raised suspicion, prompting the police to question him.

Police said Maurya would target passengers travelling in AC coaches, take their luggage and get off at stations with the stolen bags. He would then remove valuables before allegedly distributing some of the empty trolley bags among slum dwellers living near the fairground.

Following his questioning, police recovered seven such bags from the area.

A subsequent search of his rented flat in the Indramani area of Thatipur led to a much larger haul. According to the GRP, officers recovered 32 trolley bags, two additional luggage bags, a laptop, four mobile phones and other belongings collectively valued at Rs 8.26 lakh.

Police said Maurya allegedly began stealing around Holi in March and earned approximately Rs 14,000 from his first theft. Despite the alleged criminal activity, he was paying Rs 14,000 every month to rent his flat.

The arrest comes amid the railway police's efforts to curb theft and recover stolen property from trains.

“Due to the over-alertness of MP GRP, we nab criminals in no time. Over the last six months, crime has reduced drastically and there has been a very appreciable recovery of stolen property,” said Raja Babu Singh, special director general (Railways), Bhopal.