Gang drugs and robs passengers, 1 dies in hospital

KOLKATA: A 45-year-old man was killed and his 64-year-old companion admitted to hospital in a serious condition after they were drugged on a train on Monday. It is not clear what was looted from them as their belongings were missing.
Passengers of a sleeper class compartment found Sunil Chandra Das and Arjun Chakraborty asleep' on their berths, even after the 3142 Teesta Torsa Express rolled into Sealdah station around 9.30 am.After all efforts to wake them up failed, passengers contacted Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel at the station.
The RPF personnel soon realised that the two were unconscious and called in an ambulance. The two were shifted to NRS hospital immediately. Chakraborty died there later in the day. Police found a reserved ticket from Falakata to Bandel in his pocket. Das' relatives in Kolkata were alerted and they shifted him to a private hospital. His ticket was from Siliguri to Sealdah.
Passengers travelling in the same compartment as Chakraborty and Das told the GRP men that they had spotted two youths board the train at Kishanganj station. The two had allegedly got friendly with the victims and chatted with them till late into the night. The youths disappeared after the train reached Malda.
"We are yet to make any progress in the case. The passengers are being shown photographs of known druggers on this route. An artist is also trying to do a portrait of the two suspects, based on passengers' descriptions. Copies will be distributed in all GRP stations," a senior officer said.
In spite of all efforts, cases of drugging continue to occur on trains. Criminals normally operate along state borders (in this case Kishanganj) to take full advantage of the lack of co-ordination between security agencies. Similar crimes have taken place in the Asansol division near the Bengal-Jharkhand border.
"We have taken steps to raise awareness. Posters have been put up at stations. We have also got short films made to educate' passengers against accepting food or drink from others. No amount of policing can prevent such crimes till passengers are careful," a senior railway officer said.