Four government railway police (GRP) constables were suspended after an incident of loot on the Surat-Bhagalpur express on Sunday night.

The incident took place between Bariarpur and Kalyanpur railway stations. The superintendent of railway police (SRP), Jamalpur, Umashankar Prasad, said disciplinary action had been taken against the constables for their alleged failure to take action against the criminals.

The Jamalpur SRP said initial investigations had provided some clues and raids were on to nab the robbers.

Railway sources said there were around six youths who started looting the passengers of the AC-III coach as soon as the train started rolling out ofBariarpur railway station around 8.35pm.

Rajesh Kumar, son of Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular state unit president Shakuni Choudhary, was also a victim. Two travelling ticket examiners, B.K. Shah and Sunil Kumar, who were present in the compartment, were looted as well.

The passengers brought the matter to the fore when the train reached Bhagalpur around 9.30pm. The station house officer, GRP, Bhagalpur, Srikant Mandal and railway police force inspector, Anupam Kumar, somehow, took control of the situation and registered their complaints.

Mandal said: "Based on the statement of the passengers, it seems the criminals had boarded the train from Patna itself. They also snatched the gold chain of a lady Bihar military police constable at gunpoint and alighted from the train after pulling the chain at Kalyanpur station."