**Habitual Stone-Pelter Arrested in Mumbai Following Joint RPF-GRP Operation**
A joint operation conducted by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) on Friday resulted in the arrest of a habitual stone-pelter who had been terrorising Mumbai’s suburban rail commuters with repeated attacks.
The accused, Naushad Ali Abdul Wahid Sheikh, a footpath dweller from Mohammed Ali Road, Bhendi Bazaar, was apprehended near Sewri railway station following a tip-off. The arrest was the outcome of a coordinated effort involving RPF units from Vadala Road, Dadar, Kurla, the RPF Crime Branch, and GRP Vadala Road.
### Pattern of Attacks Identified
Authorities relied on CCTV footage and past records to confirm Sheikh’s involvement in multiple stone-pelting cases, with women commuters being the primary victims. During interrogation, Sheikh confessed to several incidents, including a major attack on September 26, 2025, when he hurled a stone at the women’s compartment of a Panvel-bound train, injuring a passenger.
He also admitted to similar assaults on September 22 and September 18, targeting women’s coaches near Sewri and Vadala Road stations. In another alarming incident two months ago, Sheikh allegedly threw a steel seat frame from a moving train following an altercation with a passenger.
### Repeat Offender
This is not Sheikh’s first brush with the law. He was previously booked by RPF Vadala in 2023 and 2024 for stone-pelting and vandalising an Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM). He had served jail terms for those offences.
Following his latest confession, Sheikh was formally arrested under the Railways Act and produced before the 35th Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Railway Court, CSMT, on October 3, 2025. He has been remanded to judicial custody and sent to Byculla Jail.
### Railway Authorities Respond
Senior Divisional Security Commissioner of Mumbai Division (Central Railway), Rishi Shukla, confirmed the arrest and assured the public that security measures have been intensified.
“We are fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of all passengers. In light of recent incidents, we have intensified patrolling and surveillance across the suburban network of Mumbai division. Strict action will continue to be taken against those who endanger public safety,” Shukla stated.
Passengers are urged to report any suspicious activity to railway authorities to help maintain a safe commuting environment.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-news-serial-stone-pelter-arrested-for-targeting-women-commuters-on-suburban-trains
