The arrested trio at the office of superintendent of railway police in Tatanagar. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Aug. 2: Red in the face following a daring heist pulled off by a gang of “amateurs” on the Barabil-Howrah Janshatabdi Express, the railway police today decided to station a permanent escort party on the train, a favourite with those travelling between Jamshedpur and Calcutta.

RPF officer-in-charge, Tatanagar, Kalika Pathak said 12-15 armed police jawans would escort the down train from tomorrow. “Passengers will be frisked and luggage checked at regular intervals, too,” he said. The up train, which leaves Howrah 6.20am and reaches Barabil by afternoon, will, however, have none.

Railway police superintendent (SRP) Richard Lakra said within three hours of the heist near Gidhni, East Singhbhum, the RPF nabbed three youths — identified as Guddu Ansari (28), Shamshad Ansari (32) and Shahid Ansari (32), all residents of Garhwa district — on board the Kharagpur-Tatanagar Passenger.

A fourth member of the gang, Ramjee Yadav, jumped off the train near Chakulia and escaped. A pistol, three country-made revolvers, 30 live cartridges, 24 cellphones, ornaments and Rs 12,000 in cash were found on the trio.

Lakra told The Telegraph that the gang had never attempted a train robbery. “Grilled by the police, they admitted that this was their first attempt to rob train passengers. We are looking for the fourth member of the gang who can possibly throw more light on the case,” he said.

According to Lakra, the youths had put up at a hotel in the steel city for three-four days. “They shuttled between Tatanagar and Kharagpur, and also visited Gidhni a few times.”

The Tatanagar RPF are trying to establish contact with the Garhwa police for details on antecedents. “We need to know what other activities they were involved in and whether they have other accomplices in that district,” Lakra said.

He said efforts were also being made to intensify vigil on the platforms. “I have asked my officers to be on their alert. Platforms under their jurisdiction will have to be strictly monitored.

Railway police sources said that earlier escort parties were provided to a majority of long-distance trains that plied during the night.

“But, of late, only two trains — the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and the Purushottam Express — were being given armed guards due to manpower crunch,” said an official. Had armed jawans been on the Janshatabdi, the gang would not have pulled off the operation, he added.