Drug-and-loot gangs are having a free run of trains looting and duping passengers even as railway police split hairs over the area of their operation.

There have been a large number of drug and loot incidents in the last few months. The Mumbai bound seems to be a favourite among the criminals as it passes the stretch in which they operate in the late evening. The gangs normally operate in the unreserved compartments, where passengers are slightly less aware of the perils of accepting food from strangers. Officials informed that about 20 odd cases have been reported so far in the last six months.

Recently passengers fell prey to gangsters as they were fed with drugs to fall unconscious and were looted with their belongings. Unconscious victims of drug treatment were rushed to railway hospital. All people were out of danger. One of the victims said that the people belonging to the drug gang began to behave as friends in order to communicate. Gang members gave biscuits and fruit to eat. After he regained consciousness in hospital he found himself looted. The passengers gave information to the police when they reached Chakradharpur. Railway police admitted all the four passengers to hospital in an unconscious state of mind.

The three passengers traveling on the Puri bound S2 coach were lying in an unconscious state of mind when the GRP with the help of Tatanagar railway station officials reached for help. According to information, Cuttack bound passengers had their dinner served by the train pantry at around 10 pm. and about one and half hours later they enjoyed the ice cream served to them by a fellow traveler. And, thereafter they slipped into unconscious stage only to be lifted from the sleep by fellow passengers at Tatanagar railway station.

An official said that several drives have been taken up to spread awareness and posters have been put up at all major stations, urging passengers not to accept food or drinks from unknown people. In spite of this, passengers are continuing to fall prey to the organised gangs.

"In the last few days, several arrests have been made, primarily in the Chakradharpur Division. As per our investigation the gangs used to operate along the Bengal-Jharkhand border as the police had jurisdiction problems. We have already got in touch with security officials GRP to evolve a strategy," a senior RPF official said.

"The criminal had tried to pretend to be hawkers and sell drug-laced food items. These are not stray incidents and the gangs continue to operate in a certain area for some time. Unlike other criminals, drug-and-loot gangs have to board trains and befriend victims. This takes some time,” said an official.