Malda, Aug. 12: A ticket-checker was arrested by the Government Railway Police at the Malda Town station for allegedly molesting a Class XI girl on board the Sealdah-bound Darjeeling Mail last night.
According to GRP sources, a resident of Raikatpara in Jalpaiguri was travelling with his wife, son and daughter on S2 coach of the Darjeeling Mail. “The train had just arrived at Malda Town station around 11.35pm yesterday. His 17-year-old daughter, who was sleeping on a middle berth of the three-tier coach, suddenly raised an alarm and said she had been molested by the ticket-checker. The other passengers raised a hue and cry and we arrested the alleged offender, Sanjib Kumar Singh,” said a GRP source.
A demonstration by the passengers at the station preceded the arrest. The inspector-in-charge of the Malda GRP, Prabir Roy, asked the father to lodge a written complaint. After the complaint was filed, the train left the station at 12.15am.
When contacted on his mobile phone, the number of which was left with the GRP here, the father of the girl said the train was pulling into the Malda Town station when he heard his daughter raise and alarm. “My daughter screamed suddenly and began crying. She told her mother that the ticket-checker had groped her. The train had come to a halt and my family members and the other passengers were outraged at the behaviour of the railway staff,” he said.
He said that the passengers surrounded the ticket-checker and demanded that he be arrested. “I have filed a written complaint with the GRP and I hope that the police and the railway authorities will take stern steps against the ticket-checker,” the father said.
The alleged offender denied having done anything to outrage the modesty of the girl. “I have been working in the railways for the past 16 years. I was standing near the door of the coach when suddenly, I heard a commotion inside. Then, some of the travellers accused me of molested a girl. She is making a mistake somewhere, I will never do such a base thing, I have told the GRP that,” said 47-year-old Singh, who was out on a bail bond.
“We had arrested the ticket-checker and released him last night on a bond. Today, he secured bail from the chief judicial magistrate’s court. We have informed the Northeast Frontier Railway’s Katihar division about the allegation against the ticket-checker,” said the inspector-in-charge of the Malda GRP.
The additional divisional manager of the Northeast Frontier Railway’s Katihar division, Gopal Kumar, said a report from the Malda GRPO had been received by his office.
“We have asked for a detailed report on what actually happened and only after that, we will take action against the ticket-checker.”
