It was a harrowing experience for 70 odd passengers in the unreserved compartments of Mumbai-Nagercoil Express on Tuesday night when a group of suspected dacoits terrorised them and took away their cash, gold ornaments and other valuables between Gulbarga and Shahabad stations.
“A group of inebriated people beat us up and threatened us,” Motcha Ragini, who was pushed out of the train, said.
Ms. Ragini is undergoing treatment for the head injuries she suffered after she fell from the train on the platform on Shahabad Railway Station.
She said, “It all started after the train left Gulbarga Railway Station. A group of seven to eight persons started waking up people and asked them to hand over money and other valuables.”
“Those who resisted were beaten up… my husband Velankanni and I were sitting in seats near the toilet. We were pushed near the exit door by other passengers who were trying to escape,” Ms. Ragini, who hails from Thirukonam village in Vizhupuram district in Tamil Nadu, said.
As the train neared Shahabad Railway Station, one of the passengers pulled the chain. While six of the suspected dacoits snatched Ms. Ragini’s mangalsutra and pushed her out of the train before escaping in the cover of darkness, another man was caught by other passengers and beaten up before being handed over to the police.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Railways) K. Basavaraj told The Hindu that police teams had been sent to different parts of the district.
“We will question the suspected dacoit who has been admitted to the government hospital at Wadi.”
A case has been registered with the Wadi Railway Police.
One of the suspected dacoits has been handed over to the police by the passengers
