Bhubaneswar, Jan. 13: The Government Railway Police (GRP), Bhubaneswar, has arrested seven youths on the charge of committing thefts in trains running between the capital and Berhampur.

The youths were picked up last night from Bhubaneswar railway station and were produced in a local court here today. They were sent to jail after their bail pleas were rejected. Police said the young men were involved in several cases of theft and snatching in trains. Their modus operandi was to befriend passengers either travelling in trains or waiting on platforms and stealing their belongings after gaining their confidence. They also used to rob sleeping passengers.

The accused were identified as Hari Behera (20),Mohammad Alam (25),Sunil Pandey (20), Sankar Panda (29), S.K. Mukunda (24), Shiba Mallick (30) and Laxman Behera (21). The youngsters are from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur and Ganjam.

They have been charged under Sections 379 (theft), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said Hari, Alam, Sunil and Sankar were arrested while they were stealing luggage from passengers on the Konark Express yesterday. Three bags were seized from them. The other three were arrested from the Puri-Howrah Express.

Sources said the youths had been staying in the Bhubaneswar railway station area. They used to sell the stolen property to their contacts in different parts of the state. They have several cases registered against them in railway police stations across the state. The railway police had been looking for them for last few days as several passengers had lodged complaints of their luggage having been stolen.