The Railway Police believes that thieves who stole valuables and cash worth Rs 10-15 lakh from sleeping passengers on board August Kranti Rajdhani may have followed a pattern, for similar thefts were reported on Rajdhani trains on two earlier occasions, a senior rail official said today.
The digital footprints of passengers travelling on August Kranti yesterday were being scanned to see if any of them travelled on the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani on August 9, when three passengers complained of thefts under similar circumstances.
"We are checking to see if groups of passengers travelled on both the trains and also scanning them on the basis of gender, age and other parameters," a senior official of the ministry said.
Twenty-five passengers on the Mumbai-Delhi August Kranti Rajdhani Express said cash and valuables worth Rs 10-15 lakh were stolen from their compartments early yesterday.
Many complained of being drugged and accused the railway pantry staff as well other employees of being involved.
"We are also checking if bookings were made with the same user ids online and if they were given any fare concessions. We are coordinating with the police in Mumbai, Ratlam and Kota and talking to staff members," the official said.
The thefts took place in AC-2 and AC-3 coaches of the train, which has 11 halts between Mumbai and Delhi.
A similar incident took place in July, when passengers aboard the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani also complained of thefts.
Another common link between the latest incident and the two earlier ones is the suspected location of the thefts. The incidents occurred between the Baroda and Kota junctions.
The theft on the August Kranti Rajdhani is suspected to have occurred near the Ratlam junction in Madhya Pradesh, which falls between the two junctions.
The union ministry today said seven coach attendants, one in each affected coach, and seven housekeeping staff had been de-rostered. A team of RPF personnel has also been sent from Delhi to Mumbai to probe the matter.
Officials said sleuths were studying CCTV footage from the entire route.
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