FIR lodged at Tatanagar GRP; suspicion of staff involvement as phone traced to West Bengal
Mail News Service
Jamshedpur: A 34-year-old woman passenger was allegedly drugged and robbed of valuables worth around ₹15 lakh while travelling in an AC coach of the Nagaon Express, raising serious concerns over passenger safety on long-distance trains.
The victim, Ankita Agarwal, a resident of Sonitpur district in Assam, was travelling with her family from Silghat Town to Tatanagar on Train No. 15630. According to her complaint, the incident took place in Coach A-1 (2-Tier AC), where she was allotted Seat No. 20.
Ankita alleged that shortly after boarding the train on March 27, a coach attendant handed her an unsealed bedsheet without being asked. As the coach was cold, she used the sheet. Soon after, she reportedly lost consciousness, leading her to suspect that the bedsheet had been laced with some sedative substance.
She regained consciousness around 6:00 AM on March 28 when the train was passing Pakur station. On waking up, she found her handbag empty. The stolen items included four gold bangles, a gold bracelet weighing around 70–80 grams, a blue iPhone 13 Pro, and ₹13,000 in cash. The total value of the missing belongings has been estimated at approximately ₹15 lakh.
Using her Apple Watch, Ankita tracked her stolen mobile phone, which showed its last known location in Birbhum district of West Bengal.
Following the incident, she lodged a complaint with the Tatanagar Government Railway Police (GRP). The GRP registered a Zero FIR and forwarded the case to the Pakur Railway Police Station for further investigation. The bedsheet provided by the attendant has also been submitted as evidence.
Ankita claimed that she had immediately contacted the railway helpline (139) after regaining consciousness but did not receive timely assistance. She further alleged that when Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel eventually responded, they only completed formalities and took her signature on a feedback form.
The victim has raised suspicion of possible involvement of the coach attendant, identified as Rajimul Khan, and a pantry staff member, Shivcharan Soni. She believes that the crime may not have been an isolated incident, as several similar thefts were reported from other coaches of the same train on the same day.
The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of passengers in AC coaches, which are generally considered more secure. Authorities are expected to investigate the matter and examine whether an organised gang is operating on the route.
