Passengers allege theft on moving train near Patna

Patna: Several passengers travelling in AC coaches A1, A2, B1 and B6 of the Jodhpur-Kamakhya Express (15623) reported theft of their valuables by a group of miscreants in the early hours of Thursday. The incident occurred between Patna Sahib and Hardas Bigha stations under the Danapur division of East Central Railway, around 30km from Patna.According to the passengers, four to six miscreants carried out the theft at around 4.30am while the train was passing through a dark and isolated stretch and the passengers were asleep. After stealing valuables from the passengers, the criminals pulled the alarm chain near Hardas Bigha and escaped under the cover of darkness. The victims alleged that there was no railway escort present in the coaches to prevent or challenge them.Two of the victims, Kamlesh Kumar and Rishi Kumar, said valuables worth over Rs 50000 were stolen. The stolen items included purses, cellphones and other personal belongings. Kamlesh Kumar, who was travelling from Jodhpur, said he immediately informed the Railway Protection Force (RPF) through the Rail Madad app. Rishi Kumar, who was travelling from Varanasi, said valuables worth Rs 20000, including cash, were stolen from him alone.Confirming the incident, Patna superintendent of rail police, Inamul Haque, said no formal complaint had been lodged so far. “However, the matter is under investigation,” he said.Meanwhile, a senior RPF official in Patna said CCTV footage from Patna Junction showed that no suspicious persons had boarded the train from the station. “The footage is being examined further to trace the movement of the miscreants,” he said, adding that the investigation was underway based on the online complaint.The incident has once again raised concerns over passenger safety on long-distance trains, particularly during night hours. The affected passengers alleged that inadequate security and lack of night surveillance, even in reserved AC coaches of mail and express trains passing through the Danapur division mainline, had led to the incident.