Bhagalpur, June 10: Three personnel of Government Railway Police (GRP) were put under suspension yesterday for dereliction of duty. They were allegedly sleeping when dacoits struck on a running train.

Superintendent of GRP, Jamalpur, S. Puspalata suspended the three cops, including a havildar-rank personnel, for dereliction of duty. The role of seven others on duty on the train is also under scanner.

The suspended sleuths are Bijoy Kumar (havildar), Mangal Kumar and Joyram Kumar (constables) of GRP.

According to sources at the office of the superintendent of GRP, Jamalpur, around 10-12 armed youths boarded the down Howrah-Joynagar passenger on June 3 night between the Ghogha and Lailakh. After some time, they looted the passengers.

Mission accomplished, the criminals escaped as the train approached Sabour station.

Vidya Sagar, the deputy superintendent of police GRP, Jamalpur, who has been assigned to conduct the probe into the dacoity, said the armed youths looted goods worth thousands from the passengers. They also fired in the air to terrorise the passengers, he said.

Sagar blamed the three GRP personnel with seven others escorting the train for the dacoity.

When the train stopped at Sabour, the aggrieved passengers found all the three GRP personnel sleeping inside the Railway Mail Service compartment of the train. The seven other cops under scanner were sleeping in another coach of the train. Sagar stated these in his report submitted to his seniors.

“The investigation is still going on and if any dereliction of duty by the seven other personnel is proved, appropriate action would be taken against them,” Sagar said.

Superintendent of Railway police, Jamalpur, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, was not available for comment.

Sources said the GRP, with the help of Bhagalpur police, had started conducting raids to nab the criminals involved in the dacoity.

Armed criminals had looted passengers of the same train between Sultanganj and Jamalpur stations falling under the Kiul-Sahebganj loop section of the Eastern Railway in December last year. The passengers of two compartments faced the onslaught of the criminals.

The criminals decamped with goods worth Rs 1 lakh. An FIR was lodged with the GRP at Sultanganj railway station.

Several gangs are involved in the train dacoities in the state. They have specific zones of operations.

Some of the criminals involved in the dacoities have been brought to the book. But majority of them are still scot-free.

“Railway Protection Force and GRP have taken several steps to shield passengers from dacoities. Still, a lot has to be done,” said a regular passenger of Howrah-Joynagar passenger.