Odisha Minister's bag stolen in running train

BALANGIR: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has hit the headlines again for the wrong reason with the personal belongings of an Odisha Minister being stolen from a moving train on Friday. Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Usha Devi's handbag was stolen from Puri-Durg Intercity Express while she was travelling from Bhubaneswar to Kantabanji. The Minister was going to Khariar for personal work along with her security guard. The matter came to light on Saturday after an FIR was filed at Titlagarh Government Railway Police (GRP) station.

Police suspect that some miscreants stole the Minister's bag between Rairakhol and Angul stations around 1.30 am on Friday. The handbag contained a mobile phone, `25,000 cash and some important documents, including identity card.  Meanwhile, Titilagarh police has transferred the case to Sambalpur GRP for investigation. Officer in-charge (OIC) of Titilagarh GRP Mohan Naik said as the incident occurred under Sambalpur GRP jurisdiction, the case has been transferred to them for further investigation.

A few days back, Orissa High Court judge Justice Biswanath Rath had got off  Konark Express at Berhampur station because of foul smell in his air-conditioned coach. The ECoR later suspended a cleaning supervisor for dereliction of duty.  Justice Rath, who was scheduled to travel to Visakhapatnam, got down at Berhampur railway station after the stench from dead rodent became unbearable in the A1 coach in the Bhubaneswar-Mumbai Superfast train. The judge had also lodged a complaint in the railway register kept at the station.