Robbers loot passengers aboard Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express in Bihar; seven RPF personnel suspended

A gang on Sunday morning at a gunpoint looted passengers of cash and valuables aboard the prestigious New Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express in Buxar district.

Patna: In a daring robbery, a gang on Sunday morning at a gunpoint looted passengers of cash and valuables and assaulted some of them aboard the prestigious New Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express in Bihar's Buxar district.

A dozen men barged into three coaches of the train near the Buxar railway station, about 125 km from here, and threatened to shoot the passengers if they tried to resist the robbery, the passengers told the police.

At least seven Government Railway Police (GRP) official - a sub-inspector and six constables - were suspended and a FIR was registered at the Patna railway station after the angry passengers protested here, as per IANS.

"The thieves got into the Patna-bound Rajdhani Express (train number 12310) and lifted the luggage of several passengers in four coaches before deboarding at Gamhar outer in Uttar Pradesh when the train stopped there between 03:29 am to 03:53 am due to red signal," the East Central Railway (ECR)'s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Arvind Kumar Rajak said.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has directed the security directorate to ensure early arrest of the culprits, a senior railway ministry official said in New Delhi.

The theft happened in three AC coaches - A4, B7 and B8, the official said.

A case has been registered on the basis of the complaint and investigation is underway.

Acting upon the complaint, the Railways has suspended one ASI (Railway Protection Force) and six (Railway Protection Special Force) constables who were escorting the train, the ECR CPRO said.

The passengers, who lost their luggage, have alleged the involvement of B7 coach attendant in the incident and he has been detained by the GRP for interrogation, Rajak said, as per PTI.

The passengers claimed that their goods and valuables were worth about Rs 4 lakh.

RPF DG SK Bhagat has also spoken to DG GRP of Uttar Pradesh regarding the case.

The RPF has also formed a dedicated team to assist the GRP in cracking the case.

(With Agency inputs)