22-year-old mowed down by train while trying to catch snatcher

In a tragic incident highlighting the growing problem of petty crime in public transport hubs, a 22-year-old man was killed after being run over by a train while chasing a mobile phone snatcher at a railway station in northeast Delhi on Friday evening, police said.

The incident occurred at Platform 3 of Shahdara railway station and was reported around 4.55 pm to the Old Delhi Railway Station (ODRS) police station after the Railway Protection Force (RPF) control room informed authorities that a person had been run over by a train.

The victim was identified as Rohit Kumar (22) , a resident of Baghpat district in Uttar Pradesh. According to preliminary investigations, Kumar’s mobile phone was allegedly snatched on the platform by an unidentified person. In an attempt to recover his phone, he ran after the suspect along the platform .

During the chase, Kumar reportedly failed to notice the approaching 15035 Delhi-Kathgodam Express and accidentally moved onto the track, where he was run over by the train , police said.

A police team reached the spot soon after the incident. Crime team members and officials from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) were also called to examine the scene. Kumar’s body was later shifted to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital for preparation of the medico-legal case (MLC) and preservation.

Police have registered a case of snatching and are currently examining CCTV footage from the railway station to identify the suspect. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the accused.

Authorities note that snatching incidents remain a significant concern in Delhi , with police statistics showing an average of about 15 such cases reported daily across the city in 2025 indicating that thousands of mobile phones and other valuables are still being snatched each year, even though some broader street crimes have seen declines in recent periods. Officials have urged commuters to remain alert and avoid chasing suspects in crowded or high‑risk areas, as such attempts can lead to dangerous and sometimes fatal consequences, especially in busy transport hubs where fast‑moving trains and heavy footfall increase the risk of tragedy.