Car dealer moonlights as train thief, arrested

 

By Sumesh Rajan | 2 July 2025

Bengaluru. Karnataka, INDIA: The Bengaluru City Railway Police have arrested a 37-year-old man from Uttarakhand for allegedly stealing gold ornaments from sleeping passengers in AC coaches of trains. 

The accused, identified as Jitendra Kumar Chawla, a vehicle dealer from Nainital, was taken into custody on June 19, 2025, following a complaint filed by a passenger travelling from Udupi to Bengaluru.

The complainant reported the loss of more than 50 grams of gold jewellery during the overnight journey. During interrogation, Chawla confessed to similar thefts targeting passengers on trains in Mysuru and Arsikere (Hassan district), as well as incidents reported in Tamil Nadu.

Police said Chawla is a habitual offender who frequently changed locations, staying in budget lodges across various cities after committing the thefts. He would typically board long-distance trains at night, blend in with other AC coach passengers, and steal valuables while they slept. He would then alight at the next station to avoid detection.

"One of the victims lodged a complaint last month, which led us to examine CCTV footage from multiple railway stations. His movements were captured on camera, which helped us track and arrest him," said a senior railway police officer.

A total of 81 grams of stolen gold ornaments have been recovered from Chawla so far. Investigations are ongoing to identify additional victims and theft locations.