2 weeks Ago By Tushar Tere
Vadodara: When 26-year-old Vikas Namdev craved an authentic rosogulla in Delhi, he didn't settle for a local sweet shop. Instead he booked a flight to Kolkata, indulged in the treat, and returned the same night. He did the same when he felt like sipping an expensive Scotch on beaches of Goa, only to fly back within hours of splurging.
But Namdev wasn't a wealthy businessman. His extravagant lifestyle has finally come to an end—not by income tax officials, but by the Vadodara police , who discovered that this Class 12 dropout was a seasoned thief funding his lavish lifestyle by stealing from trains. A resident of Madhya Pradesh, Namdev was caught at Vadodara railway station after the local crime branch (LCB) found him loitering suspiciously on Wednesday.
A search of his bag revealed gold ornaments worth Rs 34 lakh. Known for flaunting branded clothes, shoes, and jewellry, Namdev had been stealing valuables from female passengers on trains between Vadodara and Surat over the last three months. "He has confessed to multiple thefts, and we are working to recover the remaining stolen jewellry," said a railway LCB official.
Namdev initially stole vehicles in Madhya Pradesh before shifting his focus to train thefts. Wearing expensive outfits to blend in, he booked 3AC or 2AC tickets on trains running between Ahmedabad and Vadodara. Boarding between 3 am and 4 am, he would walk through the coaches, targeting sleeping women who carried ornaments.
After stealing their valuables, he would get off at Vadodara or Surat. He specifically chose the Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Surat route, knowing that passengers, especially during wedding season, often carried with expensive jewellery with them. To avoid detection, Namdev booked hotel rooms in Vadodara and Ahmedabad for extended stays.
He also used stolen Aadhaar cards to book train tickets and accommodations. To co-passengers, he posed as a textile businessman—his polished appearance and branded attire ensuring no one suspected him. Namdev has seven theft cases registered against him in Madhya Pradesh, along with additional cases in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
After his father's death, he left home, and his family—including his mother, brother, and sister—have since severed all ties with him due to his criminal lifestyle, said police. Vadodara railway LCB police inspector Tarun Patel, assistant sub-inspectors, Htendrakumar Gadhvi, Mehulkumar Dhobi and Jayesh Chauhan, and head constables Dharmendersinh Jadeja and Satyapalsinh Gohil were part of the investigation team. Stay updated with the latest city news , Air Quality Index (AQI), and weather updates for major cities like Delhi , Mumbai , Noida , and Bangalore on Times of India .
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