Gang tampers with signal system to stop train, robs 4

Pune/Kolhapur: A gang of thieves tampered with the railway signalling system to force the Kolhapur- bound Mahalaxmi Express to stop at Rajewadi station near Jejuri in the wee hours of Thursday and robbed four passengers of their gold chains worth Rs 1.5 lakh.

Central Railway's Pune divisional security commissioner D Vikas confirmed that the signalling system had been tampered with. "The matter is being investigated by the government railway police (GRP), Pune and the Railway Protection Force (RPF). I do not wish to comment further as of now," he said.

Sources said there were no security staff present at the station. "The train did not have any RPF escort either as there is a shortage of manpower. We are taking information from the police about criminals in the area and have got some leads. The tampered system has been restored to normal functioning. Rajewadi station is located in a rural area. Such activities existed a year and a half back, which we had then put an end to," a railway officer said.

Three of the four passengers who were robbed later lodged complaints with the GRP in Kolhapur while the fourth lodged a complaint with the GRP at Miraj railway station. The four cases were transferred to the GRP Pune.

Chandrakant Bhosale, senior inspector of GRP Miraj, said that the train had crossed Jejuri station around 1pm. Before the train could pass Rajewadi station, the driver was forced to stop as he did not get the signal to proceed. "The train halted near the station for about 20 minutes," Bhosale said.

As the train waited for the signal, the thieves began knocking on the windows of coaches from S-2 to S-12 from outside. "As soon as the the passengers pulled up the shutters, the thieves began snatching their gold chains. The four who were robbed were Noorjahan Shaikh of Bandar, Krishna Mane of Parel in Mumbai, Suchitra Itekari of Belgavi and Vijaya Rajguru of Dombivli in Thane. The chains were valued between Rs 35,000 and Rs 45,000," Bhosale said.

A passenger alleged that when people called up the railway administration on helpline numbers 1322 and 182, they were asked to lodge a complaint at the Satara police station.

Bhosale said the four complaints have been registered under sections 379 (theft) and 356 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property) of the Indian Penal Code.

A team of the GRP Pune carried out searches in and around Jejuri late on Thursday night to trace the suspects.