Varanasi Police Bust Mobile Phone Theft Ring, Recover 14 Stolen Devices

In a recent crackdown on mobile phone theft, the Varanasi police have arrested two members of a criminal gang responsible for a series of thefts targeting train passengers. According to the authorities, the arrests took place on November 2, 2025, following a tip-off.

The police raided a location near the Veerapatti railway station and apprehended Rahul Rajbhar (21) and Neeraj Sharma (22), both residents of Deoria district. A search of the suspects' belongings led to the recovery of 14 stolen Android mobile phones.

During the initial interrogation, the arrested duo confessed that their gang would target trains or railway stations, with members stationed near the charging points to steal or snatch phones from unsuspecting passengers. The stolen devices were then exchanged for new phones, taking advantage of promotional offers from e-commerce companies. The gang would also remove the SIM cards from the stolen phones, insert them into other devices, and withdraw money from the account holders' bank accounts using the UPI app.

The police have confirmed that the arrested individuals were en route to Varanasi to get the stolen phones unlocked when they were intercepted. The investigation is ongoing, and the authorities are working to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal network.