Latest news with #NewDelhi-BhubaneswarDurontoExpress
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
No arrests yet in Duronto theft case
Patna: Two days after a daring theft on the New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Duronto Express (12282), no arrests have yet been made. Valuables worth lakhs of more than 12 passengers, including women, were stolen in five coaches on Thursday night. The thieves escaped unchallenged by pulling the alarm chain between Paraiya and Kastha near Gaya, along the DDU-Gaya Grand Chord section of East Central Railway (ECR). The absence of security on board has drawn widespread criticism. "How can such a premier train be allowed to pass through a known vulnerable zone without any security personnel on board?" asked one victim, Suchi Smita, in her statement to police. "If there had been an RPF escort party, this incident would not have occurred," she added. Preliminary investigations suggest that CCTV cameras inside the AC coaches were either not working or failed to record during the incident. Several passengers questioned the absence of TTEs and coach attendants at the time. "It felt like we were abandoned. We kept asking – where are the TTEs, where is the security? We were just left to our fate," the passengers told police. "The fear and helplessness were worse than the loss itself," they added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Honda SP160: Now with More Power and Style Honda Learn More Undo An RPF team led by Rafiganj inspector Ramshuber is examining footage from CCTV cameras at DDU station, from where the gang is believed to have boarded the train. "All possible efforts are being made to get clues to the criminals' exact identities and modus operandi for crimes on such a premier train," the RPF inspector said. Gaya GRP inspector Rajesh Kumar Singh said raids were being conducted at hideouts of known 'luggage lifters'. "No exact clue has been found yet, but investigations are progressing in the right direction," he said. Meanwhile, the incident has left passengers traumatised and sparked renewed demands for overhauling security protocols on overnight express trains passing through crime-prone zones.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Thieves strike Duronto Exp near Gaya, steal passengers' belongings
Patna: Raising serious concerns over passenger safety, thieves targeted at least five coaches of the New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Duronto Express (12282) in the early hours of Friday, stealing valuables worth several lakhs of rupees of around 10 to 12 passengers. The incident took place under cover of darkness between Paraiya and Kastha stations near Gaya Junction in Bihar, which falls under the Deendayal Upadhyaya (DDU) division of East Central Railway. The thieves halted the train by pulling the alarm chain and fled with the stolen goods. The affected coaches included B1, B2, B3, S2 and SE1 – three of which are air-conditioned. According to Gaya GRP inspector Rajesh Kumar Singh, the thieves, suspected to have boarded at DDU, struck while passengers were asleep, stealing Rs 50,000 in cash, seven cellphones, a laptop and other valuables. Victims such as K V Rivli, Bhawani Shankar and Suchi Smita questioned the apparent security lapse, particularly how unauthorised people managed to enter reserved AC coaches. They also pointed out that the train had no scheduled stop at Gaya Junction and was next due to halt at Adra under the jurisdiction of South Eastern Railway. Other passengers, including Anita, Sumita Patnaik and Anita Bappam, said their belongings were intact when the train departed from DDU around 12.20am. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo However, they found items missing when the train made an unscheduled stop near Gaya at around 1.30am. Inspector Singh said a GRP team accompanied victims onboard to record their statements. The train was detained for nearly 40 minutes during the initial response. "The GRP, in coordination with Rafiganj RPF and local police from Paraiya, launched a major search operation. Intensive raids in the Paraiya and Kastha areas led to the recovery of six cellphones, a laptop and five purses," he said, adding that efforts were on to trace remaining stolen items, including cash. Meanwhile, DDU RPF commandant Jetin Raj said a special intelligence team had been deployed to assist in the investigation. CCTV footage from relevant stations is being reviewed and railway staff are being questioned. He said the RPF escort party had disembarked at DDU, leaving the train unguarded during the stretch where the thefts occurred. The Gaya GRP has registered an FIR in this connection.
