A Delhi Police head constable was suspended from the force after he was allegedly caught on CCTV accepting an unidentified object from women pickpockets at the Chawri Bazar Metro Station in New Delhi.
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The gang was arrested after a US-based woman reported theft of jewellery and other valuables while she was on her way to Gurgaon. The thieves were identified through a selfie the woman had taken with her husband in the metro. Two women were visible standing around the couple in the photograph.
"They found that a small bag containing jewellery was missing. After receiving the complaint, we started scanning the footage to trace the movement of the gang. We noticed the gang with the Delhi Police official around 2pm at Chawri Bazar Metro station," the official said, according to the Hindustan Times.
On searching the CCTV footage, the CISF found that the two women were part of a six-member gang of pickpockets in the metro. The day the women had stolen the jewellery they were also seen with the Delhi Police officer.
A detailed inquiry has been lodged to investigate the policemen who have been colluding with pickpockets in the Delhi metro.
"The head constable has been identified based on the appearance in the footage. Though his face is not clear in the footage, we have identified him. He has been placed under suspension. A detailed inquiry has been ordered and more action will be taken if we find involvement of other staff too," said a senior Delhi police official.
CISF sources said that the gang boarded the metro at Kirti Nagar station and travelled across Delhi to pickpocket.
According to CISF data, over 91 percent of pickpockets caught in the Delhi metro were women. Till December 15, they had nabbed 438 women and 41 male pickpockets.
"Women pickpockets camouflage their intentions by deploying a clever modus operandi. They are usually accompanied by a child to evade suspicion. In most cases, it was found that the women who were apprehended, seemed the least suspicious," a senior CISF official said.
In 2015, at least 93 percent of the pickpockets nabbed were women and in 2014 94 percent of pickpockets were women.
