Accused train guard absconding, police clueless

› A police team went to the address provided in the complaint but found no one there. The victim’s house was also locked. GRP OFFICIAL

JALANDHAR: Even though it’s been 25 days since a railway guard was booked by government railway police (GRP) Jalandhar for raping a woman in a moving train but the accused has been evading arrest owing to police failure in getting any leads.

Balvinder Singh, 39, train guard with Ferozepur railway division was booked under Section 376 (b), (c) (sexual intercourse by a public servant with a woman in his custody by taking advantage of his official position) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The complainant had accused Singh of raping her in Hoshiarpur-Delhi Express on May 30 in his coach.

The woman was travelling to Jalandhar with her daughter.

A government railway police official on the condition of anonymity said, “When we went to victims place recently, her house was locked.”

“We went to the address provided in the complaint but found no one there,” the GRP official added. Meanwhile a Ferozepur railway division official said, “Even after repeated reminders to GRP Jalandhar of sharing the first information report (FIR) copy with us so that we could take suo motu action, we are yet to receive it.”

Senior divisional operational manager Jagtosh Shukla said, “We are unable to start any administrative action against the accused due to lack of details in the case.”

“We will definitely take strict action against the official,” he added.

SHO Inderjit Singh, however, refuted the railway officer’s charges. “We have given them (railways) all the details about the accused guard Balvinder Singh,” he said.

“Though we have been unable to trace the accused, all the primary communication with the railway was duly made by the police,” said the SHO.