Putting a serious question mark on the safety of rail passengers, Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya and his wife Sudha were robbed by armed dacoits in Jabalpur-Nizamuddin Express early morning on Thursday.
The incident occurred near Kosi Kalan in Mathura district. Malaiya and his wife had boarded the First Class AC compartment of Jabalpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin Express from Damoh. After midnight, at around 3.30 am, somebody repeatedly knocked the door of the compartment. Sensing that there might be something wrong, Sudha opened the door.
As soon as she opened the door, a youth forcibly entered the compartment, pushing her inside. later, others also joined him. All of them had covered their faces and were in possession of long knives.
Narrating her harrowing experience, Sudha said that they asked for cash and valuables and picked up her handbag in which Malaiya's wallet was also kept. They took out cash that might be around Rs 20,000 and asked for the gold chain and a ring, which Sudha handed over to the miscreants. They also demanded another gold ring from her right hand, but it was so tight that could not be taken off. On this, the miscreants threatened her of chopping off the finger. They also tried for some time and later failing to do so, left the spot.
The robbers looted the passengers of two other compartments of the train and also of another passing train, reports added.
According to Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena, three RPF personnel, who were escorting the train, have been suspended in connection with the case.
Sudha, who is also a BJP worker, said that her husband remained on the upper berth during the whole incident that might have taken around seven minutes.
The train was stopped by someone pulling the chain. and by the time the RPF men reached, the robbers had left.
The couple also narrated the incident to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and urged him to take immediate action in the case. She said that they will also raise the issue in Parliament through BJP MP Prahalad Patel.
A complaint about the incident was filed by the Minister's wife with the police at the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station. It has been forwarded to the Government Railway Police at Mathura.
Notably, the Kosi Kalan section has, for long, been a trouble spot for the railways. The latest incident indicates that the efforts to ensure safety to trains passing through the section are yet to show results on the ground.