by A team of railway police had landed in Sakleshpur station on the same evening to investigate the theft of a laptop from a private company employee while he was asleep in an AC coach on the Bengalu ruMangaluru train on the night of Jan 21 The team suspected that the theft could have taken place in, around Sakleshpur where trains either move at a snails pace due to ongoing work or briefly halt at many places before reaching the station At such places miscreants board trains, decamp with valuables We saw Swaraj moving around suspiciously on the platform There were no passenger trains at that time, yet he was seen with a trolley bag, was in loco pilot uniform Asked for the reasons behind carrying the trolley bag he failed to give proper replies On opening his bag we found a few gold ornaments mobile phones, laptops Realising that he had been cornered Swaraj confessed to the crime, took us to his home in the railway quarters, handedover more booty an investigating officer saidAccording to Swaraj he was deep in debt due to loans raised during his marriageAlso his father Pudiswamy Naidu is facing health issues, passengers a cop said
Published in The Times of India (Online) (30.01.2024)