The Gomoh junction where the robbery took place

Bokaro, Feb. 24: In a swift seven-minute operation, 12 armed men robbed six passengers of cash and valuables worth Rs 40,000 on board the New Delhi-Ranchi Sampark Kranti Express at Gomoh junction in the small hours today.

According to the FIR lodged with Bokaro GRP, the gang boarded the unguarded coach S-5 from the junction around 3.30am.

They squatted near the toilet and waited for the train to resume journey. Soon after it did, the ticket collector entered the compartment. Four members of the gang lunged at him and pushed him back to coach S-4, shutting down the collapsible gate. They brandished their weapons, including countrymade guns, and went on a quick looting spree.

By the time the train reached the outer signal of the junction, they had relieved six passengers of cash and a 3G mobile phone. They got off the running train before it chugged out of Gomoh and before a shocked ticket collector Rajendra Singh and frightened passengers could raise an alarm.

According to the victims, the robbers — all in their early twenties except their 40-something leader — had their faces covered with handkerchiefs to avoid identification. The person who commanded them spoke in mixed Khortha and Hindi. They claimed the robbers pulled off the operation in within 7-8 minutes because there were no security personnel guarding the coach.

Some of the victims — Suresh Kumar Sharma of Dewaria (UP), Ajay Kumar Ram (Bokaro) and Niket Singh and Tushar Rai (Ranchi) — could lodge complaints only after reaching Bokaro railway station, which is 40km from Gomoh. While Ajay was robbed of Rs 5,000, Suresh lost Rs 3,500, Tushar Rs 1,500 along with his high-end cellphone and Niket Rs 1,200. The four and other passengers also vented their resentment against RPF jawans, who were on the train, but not in coach S-5.

Bokaro GRP officer in charge R.K. Thakur confirmed the incident and said: “The criminals stayed in the compartment for only seven minutes and could rob only 5-6 passengers. They escaped as the train slowed down near the signal. The complaint has been forwarded to Gomoh GRP for further action.”

And Rail Kumar is born

When a very pregnant Usha Devi boarded the train from Delhi, little did she know that she would add a bundle of joy to her luggage by the time she reached her Ranchi home.

The 12826 Sampark Kranti Express had to make an hour-long halt at Bokaro station after the young woman, who was accompanied by her mother, went into labour in the general compartment around 4.15am, barely 45 minutes after a daring robbery in a sleeper coach of the same train.

At the behest of passengers, senior railway officials rushed an emergency medical team led by Dr S.C. Bardhan. The general compartment was vacated for delivery. Usha Devi gave birth to a baby boy at 4.55am. Doctors said he was healthy. The train resumed its onward journey to Ranchi at 5.15am, but not before a brief celebration on platform No. 2 of Bokaro station, where the child was named Rail Kumar by a bunch of happy railway staff