RailEnquiry

Describing the robbery on the Hyderabad-Visakhap-atnam special train as shocking, Secunderabad railway police sub-inspector G. Anji Reddy said, “The thieves inside the train pulled the chain and started snatching bags and other items from passengers.” Gang members, who were waiting outside for the train to stop in what must have been a coordinated plan, then boarded the train and looted more passengers. Lights also went off in some bogies.By the time the police arrived, the thieves had escaped. Railways SP M. Kantha Rao said one suspect, a teenager, was caught.Police said there was no clarity on how many men had carried out the attack though they suspected a gang from Maharashtra with the support of local gangs. The Secunderabad poli-ce have taken over the case from Visakhapatnam. Mr Kantha Rao said a co-ordinative meeting would be held to review security in trains. “It will include concerned railway officials, the district collector, and police officials from different railway police stations,” he said. He added that, if necessary, more police would be deployed in trains for security purposes. Mr Kantha Rao said that passengers must be careful about their belongings if the windows were kept open at night.”