TIA NEWS
An escort party of the Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express has been suspended in connection with the robbery incident on the train. Police sources said, one assistant sub-inspector and six constables have been suspended for dereliction of duties.
The robbery took place between UP’s Mughalsarai and Buxar (Bihar) stations of the East Central Railway (ECR) when the passengers were asleep.
Patna Government Railway Police (GRP) has ordered the arrest of the attendants of the three coaches in which the robbery took place. One of them has already been nabbed.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has directed Director General Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Chairman Railway Board to probe the incident and take necessary action.
Some armed men stormed into the train in the wee hours today and robbed the passengers at gun point. The dacoits beat up the passengers, who resisted. The incident occured between Buxar and Ara railway stations. The passengers said, there were no GRP or RPF escort on the train. They said, the incident happened in connivance with coach attendants.
Police said the robbers struck in coaches A4, B7 and B8, picking up whatever they could lay their hands on in the dark. Several passengers claimed that they lost their jewellery, cash, laptop, mobile phones and other valuables. Complaints have been registered with the Government Railway Police (GRP), Patna.
The incident has raised serious questions about security in the country’s premier. In a tweet, railway minister Suresh Prabhu asked the chairman railway board to get in touch with the Bihar chief secretary. He also asked the director-general of the railway protection force (RPF) to talk to the director general of police, Bihar, to take prompt and stern action in the case.
S Tyagi, a defence personnel from Kanpur, said: “The total loss could be as high as Rs 20 lakh”. He said that he lost valuables worth Rs 5,000 but none of the passengers in the three coaches realised when the robbers struck. The train ticket examiner (TTE) and coach attendant was asleep next to him, added Tyagi.