File picture of Rajdhani express train leaving for New Delhi from Bhubaneswar station

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 26: An Indo-Tibetan Border Police inspector lodged a complaint with Government Railway Police (GRP), Bhubaneswar, here today against the pantry staff of the elite Rajdhani Express for assaulting him on the train when he objected to substandard food being served.

Sudhir Padhee, 35, who is posted in Delhi, said the pantry staff beat him up just after the train left Gaya. He was coming to Bhubaneswar with his family in a three-tier AC compartment. He said that though the menu mentioned rotis, the catering staff did not serve them. The dal was of poor quality and the eggs were not hard-boiled.

Padhee, along with some other passengers, went to the pantry car to complain to the pantry manager. He alleged that the manager did not address their grievances.

“Later, while we were returning to our berths, the pantry staff attacked me. I fell on the floor. They kept hitting me. I suffered injuries on my hands and back,” said Padhee.

After the train reached Bhubaneswar this morning, Padhee lodged a complaint with the Railway Protection Force police station.

However, the RPF officials sent the complainant to GRP, Bhubaneswar police station, as they did not have jurisdiction to lodge criminal cases or deal with such complaints.

The pantry manager and other staff also complained against Padhee with the railway police. The manager Abhijeet Das dismissed the allegations of attack. He said that while leaving Delhi, they had informed the passengers that roti would not be provided.

“Besides our food was not of sub-standard quality as Padhee alleged. Some people had come to complain about it to me, and I tried to reason with them. They were drunk and did not listen to me. They tried to create a scene by arguing with our staff, which led to a scuffle,” Das said.

Inspector in-charge of GRP, Bhubaneswar, Smruti Ranjan Kar said that after the complainant came to him, he sent him for a medical examination. He added that two staff members had been detained. They were later let off.

He said the incident had not occurred in his area of jurisdiction. The complainant should have lodged the complaint with GRP Gaya. “I will forward both complaints to the GRP Gaya. They will decide on what action needs to be taken,” said Kar.