Malda, Dec. 4: The divisional railway authorities here have decided to crack down on touts and dealers operating in Bengal and adjacent Bihar.

The racketeers, according to railway officials, are taking advantage of an administrative complication since Malda has two railway divisions. The Malda division belongs to Eastern Railway while the Katihar division comes under Northeast Frontier Railway.

Officials said the fake non-computer generated tickets unearthed by the railway vigilance were worth over Rs 3 lakh. The investigators said these tickets are sold at half their price either to labourers who are returning home or going out of the district for jobs.

“We are very concerned over the recent development. The racket operates in Malda and Katihar divisions. We are taking steps to stop this,” said Malda divisional commercial manager D.M. Nandi.

Sources in the Government Railway Police (GRP) said the labour agents were making money from the proceedings. The agents buy tickets for labourers for the nearest station and the fake ticket is handed over to them at half the price.

Inspector-in-charge of Malda GRP Satya Chakraborty said a section of the railway employees and people with political connections were involved in the racket as well. “We are now waiting for evidence against those involved. We know tickets are being printed in various places in the district, particularly in Ratua and Harishchandrapur,” Chakraborty said.

According to the GRP officer, the trains mostly preferred by these people are Brahmaputra Mail, Farakka Express and Bangalore Express.