Pune-Hatia Express Hit by Cinematic Robbery, Passengers Targeted
In a bold criminal act, a gang of thugs carried out a robbery on passengers aboard the Pune-Hatia Express within the jurisdiction of Central Railway's Nagpur Division. The incident transpired in the early hours of Thursday when Train No 22845 was travelling between Borkhedi and Khapri stations in Nagpur Division. The daring robbers, numbering five to six, targeted one of the overcrowded general compartments of the train. The exact amount of stolen cash and belongings remains unknown, as only one passenger, Rajesh Kumar from Nagpur, has come forward to report the incident so far.
Other travellers, whose cash and valuables were pilfered, refrained from filing complaints with the Government Railway Police (GRP) due to the long distances they were travelling. Consequently, GRP remained unaware of the sensational incident until late afternoon. According to Kumar, the criminals boarded the train as it slowed down near Borkhedi. Upon entering the compartment, they brandished a sharp weapon, threatening passengers to surrender their cash and valuables. When passengers hesitated, the robbers resorted to physically assaulting them, targeting mostly economically disadvantaged individuals who opted for the general compartment as a more affordable means of long-distance travel.
During one instance, a child was forcibly taken from a mother who resisted handing over her cash purse. With a sharp weapon at the child's neck, the mother swiftly yielded the cash purse. Observing the situation, other passengers promptly emptied their pockets of whatever meagre cash they had. The criminals disembarked as the train slowed down at Khapri railway station, according to Kumar, who was later summoned to the GRP's Nagpur railway station unit to provide a statement. The modus operandi suggests that the criminals were familiar with the train's patterns and were aware of the cautionary measures on the Wardha-Nagpur route, enabling them to select their target area strategically.
In a parallel development, the GRP summoned two individuals, reportedly presenting themselves in the style of a third gender, suspected of extorting money from travellers. GRP officers believe that these individuals may possess information about the group responsible for the passenger robbery. The incident has raised concerns within the railway administration, prompting a reassessment of their strategy to prevent future occurrences. In the interim, Basant Shukla, Secretary of Bharatiya Yatri Kendra (BYK), has called for a review of cost-cutting measures by Indian Railways, citing a reduction in the deployment of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel for train patrolling. Shukla also highlighted the curtailment of Travel Ticket Examiners (TTEs) at railway stations, leading to a lack of oversight on unauthorized travellers gaining access to stations and boarding long-distance passenger trains.
