10 July,2011 07:02 AM IST | | Vedika Chaubey
After receiving a tip from an informer, a RPF special team raided Swastika traders in Vashi Masala Market and arrested Moyuddin Sayyed, wanted in several theft cases
A special crime team of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) team from Navi Mumbai arrested Moyuddin Mehboob Sayyed on July 6 who was allegedly involved in stealing railways parcel boxes from freight trains.
On July 6, the RPF officers received a tip from an informer -- a man had arrived to sell eight massive boxes of nutmeg in Vashi Masala Market, sector 19.u00a0 The informer also said that all boxes had the Indian Railway logo printed on them.
Three Inspectors of the special team of the RPF, Sandeep Ombase, AKu00a0 Mishra and Prashant Sansare, reached the market to find Moyuddin Mehboob Sayyed in the middle of cracking a deal with the owner of Swastika traders.
"We arrested shop owner Mayur Bhanushali and Sayyed. Sayyed confessed to carrying out the theft, and provided vital details during interrogation. Four members from Sayyed's group are absconding. We are looking for them," said Sandeep Ombase, Railway Protection Force Crime Inspector. Inspector, said. The RPF team also seized all eight boxes of nutmeg from Swastika traders, all amounting to approximately Rs 2 lakh.
The group would often coordinate the theft by using cell phones. Three members of the group would patrol the tracks in less populated areas, while one of them would be in the freight train, hurlingu00a0 parcels off it. The members patrolling the tracks would collect the boxes and hide them in sage spots for a couple of days. They would then illegally sell the contents to various traders.
In this instance, the group threw eight boxes of nutmeg off the Mangala Express train between Roha in Raigad district and Panvel. The police investigating the case are trying to figure whether any members of the railway staff were involved.
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However, Anil Sharma, Inspector General of Police (RPF), Central Railway, denied the involvement of any of his staff members. "I have my doubts whether there is any involvement of railway officials. We have been looking for this man (Sayyed) for long, and we had declared him wanted in some cases," Sharma said.
