Dacoity in Chennai-Hyd Express

10-member gang snatches cash, gold, other valuables worth `6 lakh from passengers

Hyderabad/Pidugaralla: A gang of 10 suspected dacoits robbed several passengers of the Chennai-Hyderabad Express of cash, gold ornaments and bags with their valuables after stopping the train near Tummalacheruvu, between Nadikudi and Pidugaralla, in Guntur division, by pulling the chain. The incident occurred at around 2.10 am when all the passengers were in sound sleep. The miscreants snatched valuables from passengers of one AC bogie, and the sleeper coaches of S12, 11, 7 and 5. The train was stopped for about 45 minutes.

The dacoits targeted the sleeper bogies and threatened the passengers with weapons when they tried to resist them. The miscreants looted valuables worth Rs 6 lakh approximately.

The passengers expressed their ire at the failure of the South Central Railway officials and police in taking action, although the dacoits created terror near the station for about one hour.

Eight passengers lodged complaints with the railway police after the train reached Secunderabad. They expressed anguish that the incident occurred due to lack of security.

According to the complaints, Priyanka (S-12) lost a tablet worth Rs 70,000, a cell phone, Rs 20,000. Durgalakshmi (S 7) was deprived of eight tolas of gold jewellery. Harika (S 5) was relieved of four tolas of gold ornaments, a cell phone and a handbag. Srivani (S 11) of Allwyn Colony in Miyapur was robbed of eight grams of gold and a handbag. Anushka(S 9) working in Mahindra Satyam lost a 32 gm gold chain, while Fatima (S 12), a resident of Warasiguda, 15 gm gold jewels, cash and a bag containing clothes. Venkat Sudheer Kumar said he lost 24 gm of ornaments.

Meanwhile, the Vijayawada Railway SP Shyam Prasad warned that police would not hesitate to open fire at offenders to stop such crimes. He said police had prepared strategies to counter dacoities/robberies in trains, which usually occur during summer months.

The SP stated that police had been hampered by the delay in receipt of reinforcements because of the elections. Yet security was being provided by deploying two police personnel in each train.

According to the SP, there were two guards in the Chennai Express. They got down in Piduguralla, instead of going up to the Nadikudi Junction. This could have been noticed by the dacoits, who struck apparently taking advantage of the absence of policemen. He expressed confidence of nabbing the offenders, as police had information about them.