Nightmare on Gowtami Express

Vijayawada, Sept 26 :

 A gang of robbers struck the Kakinada bound Gowtami Express in the wee hours of Saturday at Barlagudem, between Warangal-Khammam, looting passengers of cash and jewellery to the tune of 57 tolas.

The robbers struck in coaches S7, S10 and S15, picking up whatever they could in the dark. Several of them lost their jewellery, cash, mobile phones and other valuables worth more than Rs 2 lakhs.

The passengers, who were at the receiving end of the gang’s tactics, were also shocked by the indifference of the railway police when they complained. Some passengers said the incident occurred between 1.30 am and 2.30 am and they discovered their loss only when they woke up on Saturday morning.

The train left Secunderabad on Friday at 8.30 pm and reached Vijayawada junction at 4 am on Saturday.Some passengers complained about the robbery to the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Viajayawada and Rajamundry. A passenger who lost jewellery, said more than the loss, what “hurt” her more was the indifference of the railway authorities and the police.

One passenger said that he had lost valuables worth Rs 5,000 but none of the passengers on the three coaches realised when and how the theft happened. The TT was asleep next to him, he added. The passengers also told TNN that there was not a single Railway Protection Force personnel could be seen on the entire train. They demanded the presence of armed policemen on “vulnerable” trains.