In a rather shocking first, a gang of 6 masked men, armed with knives, stole valuables from the passengers of two trains close to the MGR Chennai Central. The gang, which first struck in an unreserved compartment on a Jaipur-bound express train as it halted near the Basin Bridge for another train to pass, also reportedly struck a Chennai-bound suburban train between Tondiarpet and Korukkupet.

According to sources in the police department, this is the first such incident to happen in the city, though there have been several incidents of individual phone snatchings from the passengers on footboards in trains that stop or slow down for a while before entering the Chennai Central station. There also have been sightings of machetes on the suburban trains, brought by rival gangs of college students who openly wield them on the footboards of moving trains.

The incident happened on Tuesday, between 5.40 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. Train number 12967: MGR Chennai Central-Jaipur biweekly express had reportedly slowed down near the Basin Bridge station due to the speed restriction that is observed on that stretch. The gang, which struck just one compartment, took ₹10,000, a 30-sovereign gold chain worth around ₹7.5 lakh and some costly phones before jumping out. A passenger then pulled the emergency chain, bringing the train to an unscheduled halt at the Wimco Nagar station.

Sources in the Railway Protection Force (RPF) said that the gang then got on a Chennai-bound suburban train between Tondiarpert and Korukkupet. On the train, they robbed a senior citizen's phone and ₹5,000. The RPF knew of the incident only later when the elderly man approached them with a complaint. The victims aboard the Jaipur express lodged a complaint at the Gudur station.

According to the Director-General of Police (GRP) C Sylendra Babu, the gang already knew the stretches where trains usually stop or slow down. The gang has been identified and three special teams have been formed to nab them.