Thane: Railway commuter attacked, robbed

THANE: A lone passenger travelling in a reserved coach for physically challenged of an outstation mail express train from Goa was attacked by a knife-wielding mugger who decamped after stealing his mobile and valuables near Diva station, the railway police informed on Tuesday.
According to the police, the incident occured Monday night when the victim, Manish Singh (18), a native of Kanpur, was on his way from Goa to Surat after a failed attempt to look for a job. The man had boarded the reserved coach of the Karmali Pune express and was alone in the coach. The accused boarded the coach after the train left Panvel station Monday night, officials informed.
“As the train was approaching Dativli station, the accused fished out a knife and attacked the victim on his neck and snatched his mobile phone and alighted from the train as it was slowing down. The victim suffered minor cut injuries to his neck and was too shocked to resist. He later approached the railway police,” informed senior inspector Pandhari Kande at the Thane railway police station.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The police have started investigating the matter and are also likely to approach the victim to know more about the appearance of the accused.
Meanwhile, the stretch saw yet another mobile theft last Saturday aboard the Mumbai-Mangalore express after a mugger snatched a mobile phone of a commuter and escaped as the train slowed down near Dativli station.
The Thane railway police said they have coordinated with the railway protection force and have deployed manpower to patrol the stretch round the clock after the spate of incidents.