NEET qualified man turns out to be train thief: Who is Punit arrested with jewelery worth Rs 25 lakh?

New Delhi: A NEET qualified man from a well-educated family was arrested by the Agra Cantta Government Railway Police (GRP) for allegedly stealing jewelry and other valuables from passengers traveling in AC trains. Police identified the accused as Punit, a resident of Pilibhit, and his alleged accomplice Akash Pal, originally from Lucknow.

Puneet’s education and family background are different from the profile usually associated with the accused in this case. His father is a retired military man, his brother is in the Air Force and his sister is a doctor, police said. He self-appeared and qualified NEET and was reportedly planning to pursue medicine at some point.

Agra Cantt GRP said two men attacked passengers of buses AC-1, AC-2 and AC-3. It is alleged that they watched the passengers and waited until they fell asleep before opening the bags and taking jewelry, money and other valuables. Police said women traveling with jewelry were among their main targets.

Police recovered jewelry and other stolen property worth around Rs 25,000 from the accused. The arrests also helped investigators track thefts reported at Agra Cantt and Mathura railway stations, including incidents reported in February and August this year.

The police investigation revealed a completely different side of Punit’s biography. According to his interrogation, he was preparing for NEET and then took up business. During the Covid period, he reportedly opened a hookah bar in Lucknow, where he met Akash. The business suffered losses during the pandemic and eventually closed, according to police.

Police also said that Puneet was accustomed to an expensive lifestyle that included branded clothes, watches, clubs and other expensive habits. He reportedly accumulated debts and later began stealing from trains. Police said he began stealing from trains about five years ago.

The investigation also brought up Puneet’s claim about his girlfriend’s cancer treatment. Police said he told them that he spent around Rs 80 lakh on her treatment. Reports based on the interrogation said these expenses, along with his existing spending habits and debts, were one of the reasons he needed the extra money.

According to the police, Punit and Akash had a special method. They traveled in air-conditioned buses, watched the passengers and waited until they fell asleep. Puneet would allegedly open a woman’s purse and take a smaller purse containing jewelry or cash. The smaller bag was then handed over to Akash, who left after the train stopped.

Police also said the accused were avoiding returning to places where they had already committed thefts. They allegedly moved between areas to make it difficult for investigators to identify them. Puneet was previously in jail in cases in Lucknow, Bareilly and Prayagraj.