Jamshedpur, April 2: Chakradharpur divisional railway manager S.C. Jha has suggested that government railway police authorities provide escorts in general compartments of long-distance trains especially in dacoity-prone zones under his jurisdiction.

The recommendation was made following the recurrence of a dacoity in trains in Adityapur-Gamharia and Purulia-Chandil section for the past two days. Last night, a gang of armed dacoits swooped over passengers in the general compartment of the New Delhi-Puri Purushottam Express at Purulia. The dacoits looted an unspecified amount of cash from passengers at gunpoint. The looting spree continued for half an hour during which the robbers hit the passengers with choppers.

Six passengers were injured and over a dozen were robbed of their cash. “This is a serious thing to happen — two consecutive robberies in 48 hours. The police must take measures to ensure safety in trains irrespective of whether it is a general or a reserved compartment,” said Jha.

He said it was not just a question doing one’s duty but rather a question of confidence in passengers’ mind.

“It is necessary for passengers to have confidence in the government railway police and the Indian Railway as a whole. But I cannot press orders, as keeping up law and order in trains is something that comes under government jurisdiction. I can only suggest remedies,” he said. He suggested that the stretch from Chandil to Tata to be considered a robbery-prone zone and that police escorts should be posted in reserved compartments as well as in general compartments when they pass through that zone.