Continuing its crackdown against ‘touting’, the Indian Railways arrested 994 touts, involved in ‘gaming’ tatkal tickets of special trains during the coronavirus pandemic. The arrests were made by the Railways Police Force, which had launched an intensive drive, anticipating an increase in tout activity after the government had announced coronavirus special trains following the lockdown. The Indian Railways recently dismantled a nationwide touting racket, resulting in the arrest of 239 agents and 994 touts, alongside blocking future tickets worth Rs 87.70 lakhs.
The operation centered around the use of a sophisticated software called “Real Mango” for illegal train ticket bookings. Investigators traced the racket through YouTube accounts that promoted the software, leading to key arrests in Surat and West Bengal. Key figures, including Akhay Jenna and Pravin Bhai, were apprehended, uncovering connections to a senior member in Silchar. Further interrogation of arrested individuals revealed “The Mango Guy,” identified as Chandra Gupta of “Kreation Next,” as the mastermind behind the racket. Gupta, who developed the Real Mango software, has since confessed to his involvement.
How did the racket carry out touting with the use of Real Mango software?
The racket utilized Real Mango software to facilitate illegal ticket touting by creating multiple user IDs linked to pre-activated SIM cards. These SIMs, sold in the market, had no direct connection to the account owners, enabling touts to operate anonymously. The software bypassed IRCTC’s security measures, such as V3 and V2 captcha, and automated processes like syncing bank OTPs, auto-filling passenger and payment details, and allowing simultaneous logins from various accounts via proxy IP services. This enabled them to book tickets in bulk significantly faster than regular customers. Authorities have arrested 40 individuals involved in the operation, and investigations are ongoing, with data analysis and raids aimed at dismantling the network.
Indian Railways’ crackdown on illegal ticket booking
The Indian Railways has intensified its crackdown on ticket touting, a persistent issue where touts buy tickets in bulk to resell at inflated prices. This latest operation aligns with the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate illegal ticket sales. Earlier this year, authorities dismantled a sophisticated gang led by Hamid Ashraf, operating from Dubai, which had a corporate structure in India involving over 20,000 agents. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) arrested 26 individuals, including key figures in Bengaluru and Mumbai. The RPF is utilizing advanced data analysis techniques to identify and apprehend touts, having previously arrested 14 touts, including IRCTC agents, and recovered tickets worth Rs 6.36 lakhs.