126 tolas of gold stolen in train

Unidentified persons stole gold jewellery weighing 126 tolas and `5 lakh in cash from a woman travelling aboard the Hyderabadbound Godavari Express in the wee hours of Thursday.

T. Vani, the victim, was travelling in the AC compartment of the train from Rajahmundry to Secunderabad along with her in-laws and her children. The gold and the cash were in her luggage. Vani had chained her luggage to her berth, but had forgotten to lock it before going to sleep.

According to the railway police, the approximate value of the stolen properties is around `44 lakh.

Vani, her NRI husband, and her relatives had travelled to Rajahmundry to attend her brother’s house-warming ceremony. After the ceremony, her husband had flew to the USA, but Vani and her in-laws had stayed back for a couple of days.

The theft was detected only when the train reached Secunderabad railway station when the family was preparing to disembark.

Police said that the incident would have occurred post-midnight. The suspects would have unzipped the suitcase, taken out the cash and jewellery, and transferred it to another bag before fleeing.

S. Rajendra Prasad, superintendent of the railway police, said that that the victim had mentioned that there had been two men in the train compartment whose movements seemed suspicious.