Thane: Another major theft has been reported aboard the Netravati Express (Train No. 16346), which was travelling from Kerala to Mumbai. Gold jewellery weighing 85 grams (approximately 10.5 pavan) belonging to Smitha Panicker and her daughter Shruthi Panicker, residents of Kisan Nagar, Thane, was stolen. The jewellery is estimated to be worth around ₹14 lakh at current market prices.
The mother and daughter were travelling from Kayamkulam to Thane. The incident took place between 5:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on Monday, August 31, while they were in Seat No. 79 of the S8 sleeper coach. The theft is believed to have occurred near Majorda Junction, between Madgaon and Thivim.
The stolen items included a purse containing three gold bangles and three gold chains with two pendants.
Narrow Escape During Struggle with Thief
The mother and daughter were seated near the train door. When the train slowed down, the thief suddenly snatched the bag that Smitha Panicker was carrying. However, Smitha did not let go of the bag and held on tightly, leading to a fierce struggle.
While attempting to flee with the bag, the thief dragged Smitha towards the train door, creating a highly dangerous situation in which she could have been pushed out of the moving train. Smitha narrowly escaped what could have been a major accident. The thief then jumped off the train with the bag.
Losing all the jewellery the family had accumulated through nearly 15 years of hard work in a single night has left the family deeply traumatised.
Abdul Rahman, a native of Kasaragod who works in Mumbai, witnessed the incident. He said that he woke up after hearing the commotion, but by the time he looked, the thief had already jumped off the train.
Passengers Suspect Organised Theft Gang
Theft incidents of this nature are reportedly frequent on the Netravati Express. Abdul Rahman said there is reason to suspect that an organised gang could be behind these incidents, with thieves allegedly boarding the train at different major stations and carrying out thefts according to a planned strategy.
“Somebody gets on at Mangaluru, another person at Kasaragod and yet another at Goa. In this manner, people appear to board at different major stations and carry out thefts according to a carefully planned strategy. There should be a strong investigation into this, and passengers should also come together to form a strong collective against such incidents,” Abdul Rahman said.
The family has filed complaints with the Railway Police and security authorities regarding the incident. After learning about the incident, Maharashtra office-bearers of AIKMCC and political-social activist Antony Philip intervened in the matter on an urgent basis.
With thefts becoming increasingly common on long-distance trains, AIKMCC Maharashtra President Aziz Maniyoor and Antony Philip called for passenger safety to be given the highest priority.
Shruthi Panicker and the representatives also urged railway authorities to conduct an immediate investigation, collect information from fellow passengers and examine CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify and apprehend the perpetrators without delay.
In connection with the incident, the Thane RPF has registered a case and filed an FIR.
