Two members of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) risked life and limb to foil a robbery attempt on a train in the early hours of Friday.
Sub-inspector Vinod Kumar and head constable V.A. George, patrolling the Bangalore City-Thiruvananthapuram weekly Trivandrum Express (16321) in plainclothes were attacked by a suspected robber after they accosted him aboard the train.
Mr. Vinod and Mr. George, members of the Crime Prevention and Detection Squad (CPDS) of the Railway Protection Force, were questioning Dileep, 30, of Kodakara, Thrissur, after they found his behaviour suspicious, when he brandished a spring dagger and attacked them.
Mr. George sustained a three-inch cut just under the shoulder bone in the attack. Mr. Vinod Kumar suffered minor injuries.
The incident occurred around 4.15 a.m. in compartment S-11 when the train was between Angamaly and Aluva.
The suspect was overpowered with the help of other RPF personnel and passengers.
The police seized a pepper spray, a long plastic rope, a bottle of chloroform and a roll of masking tape from Dileep’s possession.
Mr. George was first admitted to the Ernakulam General Hospital and later shifted to the Medical Trust Hospital. He was admitted to the ICU after his wounds were sutured. His condition is reported to be stable. Both Mr. George and Mr. Vinod Kumar sustained abrasions on their body.
They were part of the CPDS team that patrolled the railway stretch between Palakkad, Thrissur, Shoranur, Kottayam and Alappuzha. Two squads were formed under the Thiruvananthapuram division to step up security of train passengers after the gruesome rape and murder of Soumya on board the Ernakulam-Shoranur passenger train (56608) on February 1, 2011. One squad is stationed at Thiruvananthapuram and the other at Ernakulam.
The squad particularly monitors the weekly trains operating during night hours.
“The squad arrested 16 persons in 2011, 18 in 2012, and four, excluding the person arrested on Friday, have been held so far this year,” said K.P. James, Assistant Commissioner, RPF.
Dileep, who was arrested on Friday, has been charged under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 333 (causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 137 (fraudulently travelling or attempting to travel without proper pass or ticket) and 147 (trespass and refusal to desist from trespass) of the Railways Act. His arrest was recorded by the Railway Police. He was produced before the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I.
V.K. Dhaka, Inspector General, RPF, announced a reward of Rs.2,500 each to Mr. Vinod and Mr. George.
The latter’s name would be recommended for the Union Minister of Railway’s Bravery Award, said RPF sources.
