Hogansville man arrested after suspicious package incident in Chicago

Published 1:53 pm Thursday, May 17, 2018

A Hogansville man has been arrested after a suspicious package incident Wednesday that forced the evacuation of Metra’s Transportation Center in Chicago. 

Metra is the commuter railroad in the Chicago metropolitan area. According to a spokesperson for Metra, Rajender Chandani’s ID showed he’s from Hogansville.

Chandani

According to a Metra police press release, Chandani, 46, was arrested Wednesday evening around 8:20 p.m. after Metra officers saw him trying to re-enter the Ogilvie Transportation Center.

Police say Chandani had been seen Wednesday morning  leaving two bags near an information booth in the station’s platform area.  A cellphone, ID and camera were found in the locked case, according to the press release.

An employee alerted Metra Police about the briefcase and the Chicago Police Department was brought in for assistance. The evacuation lasted more than two hours.

According to the Chicago Tribune, more than 15 Union Pacific trains were held up as police searched a briefcase and bag and searched the station.

According to the police report, Chandani’s motives are unclear at this time. Chandani is being held at the Chicago Police Department’s first district on disorderly conduct charges.