Vadodara: The Godhra police have arrested another member of the notorious Signal Phaliya gang, which is allegedly involved in a series of thefts, robberies and extortion cases targeting passengers on long-distance trains. The accused, identified as Khalid alias Chakla Shokat Posti (24), a resident of Signal Phaliya in Godhra, was produced before a court on Wednesday, which granted police custody till June 12 for further interrogation.

According to police, Khalid has a criminal history and is allegedly involved in five organised crimes. During the investigation, it emerged that he had travelled to Pakistan with family members and friends in 2018. Police are now probing the purpose of the visit, the source of funding for the trip and other related aspects.

Investigators said the Signal Phaliya gang allegedly operated by opening the pressure cock between train coaches to slow down moving passenger and goods trains, enabling its members to steal luggage and rob passengers. Several offences linked to the gang have been registered over the past decade.

Police said an extortion case registered on October 10, 2025, led to a major crackdown on the gang. The syndicate was allegedly formed by its suspected kingpins, Hassan alias Takkan Salim Sheikh and Hussain Salim Sheikh, who are accused of running an organised criminal network. Eleven accused had already been arrested in connection with the case before Khalid’s arrest.

The accused was arrested on Tuesday and produced before the court on Wednesday. After hearing arguments by Special Public Prosecutor Raghurva Pandya, the court granted a nine-day police remand to facilitate further investigation into the gang’s activities and Khalid’s alleged links.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge during the remand period. DeshGujarat