India's elite express is being labelled unsafe in Jharkhand.
While Government Railway Police (GRP) claim half a dozen thefts on board New Delhi-Ranchi Rajdhani Express every month, at least a couple of victim passengers in the recent past have pointed a finger at train employees, much to the discomfort of railway authorities.
Monica Burh, a 23-year-old Ranchi professional travelling first class from Kanpur to the state capital, lost her high-end laptop and mobile phone early on Tuesday, soon after the train reached Koderma station. She strongly suspects the role of a pantry staff in the mysterious disappearance of her belongings.
"I was reserved in Cabin C of Coach H1 from Kanpur. Since there were three men in that four-berth cabin, an elderly passenger suggested I move to the two-berth Cabin E, which was unoccupied. I went off to sleep by 11pm. When I was jolted out of sleep at Koderma around 4.45am, my MacBook and Lumia phone, together worth over Rs 90,000, were gone!" Monica told this correspondent on Wednesday.
Monica underscored that the pantry staff pulled off the theft. "Between 9pm, when I boarded the train, and 10.30pm, a particular pantry boy came no less than five times to ask if I needed anything. I had to tell him not to disturb me," she recalled.
Earlier, on March 17, one Gunjan Rungta was robbed off her purse containing Rs 8,000 and her mobile phone. Gunjan, who hails from a business family and was also travelling first class, had then hinted at the role of attendants in the coach. "I had safely tucked away my purse and phone. Someone saw me doing so to carry out the theft so smoothly. Attendants keep coming and going; I wouldn't be surprised if one of them did it," the woman had alleged in the past.
In April, a resident of Delhi attending a wedding in Morabadi, Ranchi, similarly lost her purse containing her diamond bangles and ring.
While the March and April incidents happened on train 12454, which runs via Mughalsarai-Daltonganj, Tuesday's theft took place on train 12440, which travels via Mughalsarai-Koderma.
Ram Narayan Thakur, officer-in-charge of GRP in Hatia, expressed his concern. "The media hears about one or two thefts, but we register at least four-five cases every month. Most of these incidents are reported from Daltonganj or Koderma," he said, stressing that frisking of people getting down at these two stations had become necessary.
Superintendent of railway police in Tatanagar Mritunjay Kishore, who also looks after Ranchi division, did not outright deny the possibility of employee being involved.
"I do not completely deny the allegations, but experience says criminal gangs may be active on the Gaya-Koderma stretch. Women are more vulnerable because they keep valuables in their purse," Kishore said, admitting that a system must be made to quiz train attendants.
Niraj Kumar, senior divisional commercial manager of Ranchi, said the role of insiders could be proved only through police probe. "Passengers should be more vigilant," he added.
The Rajdhani Express is directly controlled by Northern Railway. It gets highest priority on the Indian Railways network. The rakes are fully air-conditioned and passengers are served complimentary meals. Recently, free wi-fi was introduced on most of the 22 pairs.
All Rajdhani trains offer three classes of accommodation: AC first class with two-berth and four-berth lockable bedrooms; AC-II open berths with curtains for privacy; and AC-III without curtains.
How can security be beefed up on board the Rajdhani? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
