2 held for threatening train passengers with pistol in Jharkhand

RANCHI: Passengers aboard the Howrah-Hatia Kriya Yoga Express were allegedly threatened by two men carrying a country-made pistol, leading to their arrest by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), officials said on Friday. The duo was apprehended on Thursday from the general coach of the train and later handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Ranchi station. "The accused are mainly involved in illegal arms supply. They had gone to the Mango area of Tata Nagar to collect an illegal arms consignment that they were supposed to deliver in Ranchi. Because they were late, they did not receive the consignment and boarded the general coach of the train," an RPF officer said. According to officials, a woman passenger alerted RPF personnel in the adjacent coach after one of the accused allegedly brandished a country-made pistol and threatened passengers, while the other used abusive language. "A woman passenger alerted RPF personnel in the next coach that one of the two was brandishing an illegal country-made pistol and threatening them. His accomplice was using abusive language. The RPF team then apprehended both," the officer added. Police seized a country-made pistol and a cartridge from the accused. The arrested men were identified as Akeeb Khan (21) and Rehan Khan (20), residents of Sartaj Colony under Bariyatu police station limits in Ranchi. Officials said four criminal cases were already pending against Akeeb Khan.