CHENNAI: In yet another incident of train robbery, a Coast Guard personnel travelling in the Howrah Express was assaulted by an armed gang which entered the coach when the train slowed down for the signal near Basin Bridge in the wee hours of Sunday.
Railway police sources said the passenger, O Asli (23), serving in the Coast Guard in Kolkata, noticed a man who sneaked into the S2 coach taking away his phone which he had plugged for charging.
When the man got down from the train and started running, Asli gave him a chase. Three other men joined the robber and began attacking Asli with a knife on his hand and head.
The gang also managed to snatch a laptop and `10,000 cash from Asli before fleeing.
“Around 3.30 am, the train halted near Basin Bridge for a signal near Korukkupet. The complainant had woken up to offer Ramzan prayers when he noticed the man taking away his phone plugged in the power outlet,” said a senior railway police official.
Initially, other passengers could not realise what was happening. “Only after the gang started assaulting Asli with a knife, they realised the gravity of the situation and got down from the train to help him,” said another official. However, by that time, the gang had inflicted injuries on Asli and fled with his laptop and cash.
The victim carried his laptop along with him during the chase as he thought the robber would have primarily targeted the laptop and stolen the mobile as a diversionary tactic. Besides, he had some important documents stored in the laptop, sources said.
Other passengers took Asli to the Basin Bridge Police Station, from where he was taken to the Government Stanley Hospital, where he was admitted. He was discharged after stitches in his hand and head.
A case was registered by the Central Railway Station police and officials said a special team had been formed to trace the robbers. “A dedicated team is working on the case. Until now, we have not arrested anyone,” said a police official.