Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Man escapes with minister’s purse and cellphones

Man escapes with minister’s purse and cellphones
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editor on 26 February, 2008 12:16:00
 
Kolkata, February 25 Despite a security cover, a petty thief managed to get
close to a VIP train cabin, numbered ‘8’, and flee with a purse and
two mobile handsets belonging to Minister of State for Forests Bilashibala
Sahis.
The incident took place around 4.30 am when Sahis — travelling in
Adra-Chakradharpur passenger train — was preparing to get down at the
Howrah station. She had kept her purse and two mobile phones on the seat. The
thief started running parallel to the train, posing as a coolie and managed to
filch the bag containing Rs 4,000, keys of her residence and the mobiles.
Other officials and security guards, who were travelling in the adjacent cabin,
got down from the railway station after being alerted by Sahis, but were unable
to locate the thief.
According to an eyewitness, Sahis immediately rushed to the office of
Government Railway Police (Howrah) and met OC Taj Mohammad.
GRP officials were then alerted and asked to identify the criminal as soon as
possible. A large number of people, including some vendors, were questioned and
on the basis of their statement, the cops managed to arrest one person and
seized Rs 2,900 from his possession. “We have registered a case against a
gang. One of them is in our custody and we are looking for the rest,” said
Mohammed.