CHENNAI: A 23-year-old woman was arrested by the Government Railway Police in Egmore for stealing gold jewellery and valuables from train passengers by offering them sedated coffee while travelling in the unreserved compartments of express trains.
The police identified the arrested woman as L Bhumika, 23, a native of Kudavasal near Thiruvarur.
On June 12, Bhumika travelled from Thanjavur to Chennai Egmore on the Mannai Express.
When the train reached Tambaram, she offered some coffee, which she had added with sedatives to the complainant, Dhanvantri.
After the woman swooned, Bhumika escaped with her laptop and bag containing valuables.
Based on her complaint, a police team led by R Ramesh, the Assistant Commissioner of Police at Chennai Egmore GRP, tracked the suspect.
Meanwhile, another complainant, Kannagi, who also travelled from Thanjavur to Chennai Egmore on the Mannai Express on June 17, reported the loss of her gold chain to the same suspect.
In this incident, the suspected woman offered her some coffee, after which she completely blacked out.
A team led by the police inspector, Meenakshi, and her team searched for the suspect and arrested Bhumika.
The recovered the stolen laptop and 1.5 sovereigns of gold chain from her and she was remanded in judicial custody after being produced before a magistrate court in the city.