Theft in ND-Patna Rajdhani, 7 RPF personnel suspended
Robbers struck the Patnabound Rajdhani Express and fled with belongings of some passengers near Gahmar in Danapur division of Bihar early Sunday, prompting rail authorities to suspend seven RPF men.
A seven-member escort party of the RPF was present in the premier train. Manisha Aggarwal, Neha Prasad and Manju Singh, who were travelling in the train, reported the theft of their belongings by three youngsters, according to the FIR lodged by the aggrieved passengers.
"The thieves got into the Patna-bound Rajdhani Express (Train No. 12310) and lifted the luggage of several passengers in four coaches before deboarding at Gamhar outer in Uttar Pradesh when the train stopped there between 03:29 AM to 03:53 AM due to red signal," the East Central Railway (ECR)'s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Arvind Kumar Rajak said.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has directed the security directorate to ensure early arrest of the culprits, a senior railway ministry official said in New Delhi.
The theft happened in three AC coaches - A4, B7 and B8, the official said. A case has been registered on the basis of the complaint and investigation is underway.
Acting upon the complaint, the Railways has suspended one ASI (Railway Protection Force) and six (Railway Protection Special Force) constables who were escorting the train, the ECR CPRO said.
The passengers, who lost their luggage, have alleged the involvement of B7 coach attendant in the incident and he has been detained by the GRP for interrogation, Rajak said.
The passengers claimed that their goods and valuables were worth about Rs 4 lakh.
Rajak earlier said that there was conflicting version in specific coaches in which theft of luggage took place with the train superintendent naming B7, B 8 and A4 and BE1 while the GRP identifying these coaches as B7, B8, A3 and A4. RPF DG SK Bhagat has also spoken to DG GRP of Uttar Pradesh regarding the case.
The RPF has also formed a dedicated team to assist the GRP in cracking the case.