A GRP cop in Cuttack shows the recovery materials after busting an inter-state robber gang. Telegraph picture

Cuttack, Jan. 14: The Government Railway Police (GRP) has busted an inter-state robber gang that used to loot gold ornaments, luggage and mobile phones of passengers of long distance trains in Cuttack.

The five accused — Siekh Bulu (22), Rajesh Behera (24), Basant Dhal (21), Ravi Sethi (23) and Sagar Sethi (24) — have been arrested. Bulu and Sagar were nabbed on Wednesday while other accused were arrested yesterday, said GRP inspector-in-charge Trinath Mishra.

The modus operandi of the gang was quite unique as they used to ‘create artificial rush’ near the toilet of a train and then used to run, after snatching valuables of the passengers of long distance trains.

Bulu and Sagar hail from Balasore while Rajesh is from Jaleswar, Basant from Jajpur and Ravi Sethi from Bhubaneswar. Bulu and Sagar were also arrested earlier in connection with various robberies from the passengers.

The gang was busted after a passenger, Ravindra Kumar Nayak lodged a police complaint regarding theft of his mobile phone.

Nayak’s mobile phone was snatched away by the miscreants when he was to board New Delhi bound Neelanchal Express.

However, the GRP officials managed to nab two accused on the platform while the rest were arrested from different locations within the city, Mishra added.

A total of 12 mobile phones and cash worth Rs 2,360 have been recovered from their possession and all the accused have been produced before the court and sent to judicial custody. Earlier, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) had also busted a racket involved in pilfering of valuable consignment from luggage van of trains, spreading its tentacles from Andhra Pradesh to Orissa six months ago.

Ten persons were nabbed from Balikuda area and Indian green cardamom estimated to be worth nearly Rs 4 lakh and readymade garments worth Rs 20,000 were also seized from them.

GRP officials have now breathed a sigh of relief, as they have been successful in busting the criminal gang, which was giving them a tough a time since long.