Siliguri, March 23: The Government Railway Police (GRP) yesterday arrested two luggage lifters from New Jalpaiguri station and its adjacent area. The GRP officials said mobile phones and other articles worth more than Rs 1 lakh were recovered.

“Yesterday evening, one of our sub-inspectors noticed Shambhu Das, a resident of Shrinagar Colony near Bhaktinagar who has a history of stealing passengers’ luggage, standing in front of the ticket booking counter,” said Daman Karmakar, the officer- in-charge of the GRP at New Jalpaiguri station.

Das was picked up immediately and after the interrogation, the GRP found that Kalu alias Kishor Karmakar, belonging to the same locality where the former lives, was also involved in the recent thefts at the station. The GRP personnel took Kalu into custody later. “We then went to their house and recovered six mobile phones, a couple of chargers, Rs 1,000 and three bags full of garments,” said Karmakar.

The police had over the past couple of days received several complaints about passengers being robbed on platform as well as trains. The GRP was on alert and arrested the duo. They have extracted information on more persons active in the crime from the duo.