A women-led robbery gang that operated in disguise as beggars has been busted by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Bhubaneswar Railway Station on Wednesday.

The accused women reportedly blended in among passengers and visitors by posing as beggars before carrying out thefts and disappearing without raising suspicion.

According to sources, the gang had been active for some time and was allegedly involved in stealing valuable gold ornaments from different places in Bhubaneswar. Acting on specific intelligence, RPF officials launched a surveillance operation at the railway station to track the suspects.

Gold Worth Rs 20 Lakh Seized 

The operation led to the detention of two women from platform number 1 of Bhubaneswar Railway Station. During the search, officials recovered stolen gold ornaments worth nearly Rs 20 lakh from their possession.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were attempting to transport the stolen gold through a train route to avoid police detection. However, the alertness of the RPF foiled their plan before they could escape.

The seizure has exposed a unique modus operandi where criminals allegedly used the appearance of poverty to avoid suspicion and carry out organised theft. 

Officials are now investigating whether more members are involved in the racket and if the gang has links to similar theft cases reported earlier in the state.

The detained women are currently being interrogated, while further investigation into the case is underway.