Scribe robbed on train minutes after GRP ends duty

MUMBAI: Eight minutes after GRP escorts completed their duty on a Churchgate local, a man entered a ladies coach of a train and snatched a female journalist’s purse at Kandivli. The incident took place early on Sunday when the journalist was on her way to work. The accused, Kishore Gunjal (23), was arrested on Monday by the Borivli GRP. A habitual offender, he was reportedly released from jail less than three weeks ago.

Armed GRP personnel are deployed in the 24-hour ladies coaches between 8.30pm and 6am every day to escort women. If they fail to turn up for duty, they are supposed to face departmental action. The journalist boarded a 06.06am Churchgate slow train from platform 8 at Borivli. The only traveller in the ladies coach, she intended to alight at Andheri station. Within minutes, the train halted near a drain at Kandivli. “I had kept my purse next to me. Before I could realize what was happening, a man clambered into the coach from the tracks, came straight towards me and snatched away my purse. I couldn’t see his face as he turned around to jump off the coach. He was dark and was wearing a green t-shirt,” the journalist told TOI. The purse contained her office identity card and Rs 700.

When the journalist called on a helpline, she was advised her to lodge a complaint at the Borivli GRP outpost. “The thieves possibly know of the GRP escorts’ schedule and strike after their duty ends,” said a source from the GRP.

“Based on tip-off from informers, we tracked down the accused and arrested him. Cconfessing to the crime, he said he took the money out of the bag before throwing it away. Rs 600 has been recovered from him,” said Borivli GRP senior inspector Shivaji Bagal. (TOI)