Thief Hides Underwater for Hours Using Lotus Stem to Escape Arrest, Finally Caught by RPF
Thief Hides Underwater for Hours Using Lotus Stem to Escape Arrest, Finally Caught by RPF
A dramatic early-morning chase at a railway station in Madhya Pradesh turned into an extraordinary manhunt when an alleged thief resorted to an unusual survival tactic—remaining submerged in a pond for nearly five hours while breathing through a lotus stem.
The incident unfolded on April 6 at Sihora railway station under the Jabalpur division. Around 4:50 am, Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel on routine preventive duty noticed a suspicious man getting off Train No. 11753. When they attempted to question him, he reportedly tried to flee after allegedly attempting to steal a woman’s purse onboard.
As the RPF team gave chase, the accused ran toward a nearby market area and leaped into a moss-covered pond in a desperate attempt to escape. What followed was an unusual standoff—he stayed hidden underwater for hours, using a hollow lotus stem as a makeshift breathing tube.
Realizing the situation, RPF officials coordinated with local police and called in professional divers to assist in the search. After sustained efforts, the man was eventually located and pulled out of the water. Even then, he made another attempt to escape but was quickly subdued by the team after a brief scuffle, during which he sustained minor injuries.
Initially, the accused tried to mislead authorities by giving false information about his identity. However, through verification using the Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) and cross-checking with an old Times of India report, he was identified as Harvinder Singh (32), a resident of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh.
Officials revealed that Singh is a habitual inter-state offender with a long history of theft and snatching cases. He is known to operate across multiple states including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. Several cases are registered against him under Sections 379 and 411 of the Indian Penal Code.
He is wanted in multiple cases filed at Government Railway Police (GRP) stations in Bhopal, Itarsi, Ujjain, Igatpuri, Visakhapatnam, and other locations, with several warrants pending.
Investigators highlighted his consistent modus operandi: boarding trains without tickets, targeting vulnerable passengers—especially women and elderly individuals—and stealing purses, cash, and valuables before quickly getting off at intermediate stations. To avoid detection, he reportedly avoids carrying identification and frequently changes SIM cards.
Following his arrest, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Railway Act at the RPF Post in Jabalpur. Authorities have notified multiple GRP units, and existing warrants against him have been confirmed by police units in Igatpuri, Bhopal, and Itarsi.
He is set to be produced before the Special Railway Magistrate in Jabalpur for further legal proceedings.
The entire operation was conducted under “Operation Yatri Suraksha” and led by Inspector Rajiv Kharb, along with Sub-Inspector Arvind and constables Vinay Mourya and Ashish Yadav.
