Valuables looted from train passengers

By S. Vydhianathan

CHENNAI, MARCH 26. Armed dacoits, numbering about 10, pulled the alarm chain of the Mysore-Chennai Express near Bangarapet late last night and looted valuables from passengers in eight sleeper compartments.

Though the exact value of the property looted is yet to be assessed, it is said, several passengers fell victim to the marauders who took away cash, gold jewellery and suitcases. Most of the passengers were coming to Chennai for Ugadi festival. According to Southern Railway sources, the culprits stopped the train between Bangarapet and Kamasamudram stations where there is no habitation near-by, to enable their waiting accomplices to board the train. The armed gang shook awake the passengers and relieved them of their valuables, after threatening them at knife-point.

The entire operation, according to a victim, was over in 15 minutes and the gang after finishing their job escaped under cover of darkness. A railway police constable of Karnataka, who was the lone police escort in the train, chased them in vain. The gang, pelted stones at the policeman, causing injuries to him.

When the train reached Kuppam station, the victims preferred a complaint with the station officials, who initially refused to entertain it. But later they accepted it when passengers threatened to take up the matter with higher officials. Ten armed RPF constables were also provided by the station officials to escort the train thereafter. Ms. Mercy Zakariah, who lost her gold `mangalasutra' weighing six sovereigns, told this correspondent that she was sleeping in the lower berth with window open, when someone from outside snatched her chain with a sharp weapon, causing bruises in her neck. Her husband Mr. Zakariah A. Mattappally said the armed men carried out the dacoity simultaneously from within the compartments. Similar robberies had occurred in this section in the past. Few years ago, passengers of the Chennai-Bangalore Mail were the victims. Ironically, the then Southern Railway General Manager himself was travelling in the train by a special coach.

In February 1999, gold jewellery weighing 60 sovereigns were robbed from women passengers of the Chennai- Bangalore Express.

Lack of adequate police escort had emboldened anti- social elements to commit robberies at frequent intervals in this section, RPF sources said. Dearth of hands came in the way of posting sufficient number of personnel on trains. Following repeated incidents of robbery on the Chennai-Bangalore route it has been decided to provide firearms to the escort personnel, sources added.

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