The city police today said that five persons arrested in neighbouring Mumbra area for preparing to carry out a dacoity were the ones who had placed an iron rod on railway tracks between Diva and Mumbra in January.
Their motive was to win a Rs 2,000 bet, police said.
Railway police had found an iron rod on tracks between Diva and Mumbra stations in the district on the night of January 24, shortly before the Madgaon-Mumbai Janshatabdi Express was to pass.
Thane police commissioner Parambir Singh said that police arrested Danish Akbar Shaikh (26), Suraj Vinay Bhosale (25), Mohammad Shabbir Shaikh (34), Nasir Usman Sayyed (24) and Jayesh Nagesh Pare (30) yesterday after receiving a tip-off that they were going to carry out a dacoity. Police seized some knives and chili powder from them.
Danish told police during the interrogation that they had placed the iron rod on the tracks on January 24, after one Maila Makandar wagered a bet.
Makandar, who was arrested in March in another case and is at present in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai, told Danish and others that if they could derail a train, he would pay them Rs 2,000, Danish told the police.
Commissioner Singh said that police were probing if the accused were responsible for similar obstacles found on railway tracks in Kalamboli, Panvel, Taloja, Nashik, Nanded and Barshi Takli in Akola district.
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