CHENNAI: Four days after a gang of robbers struck Sabari Express and looted gold chains weighing about 20 sovereigns from five women passengers near Katpadi, Government Railway Police has intensified security for trains in Arakkonam - Jolarpet sections.
Armed police personnel have been deployed near home signals at Katpadi and Jolarpet stations on Tuesday.
On October 11, around 3 am, when the Hyderabad - Thiruvananthapuram Sabari Express left Katpadi station, a gang of six masked persons entered three reserved coaches and woke up women passengers who were sleeping. They snatched gold chains weighing about 20 sovereigns from five passengers at knifepoint.
The robbery incident took place within five minutes and even before passengers could raise an alarm, the robbers pulled the emergency chain and got down. Later, they escaped in a car parked near the railway track.
Following this incident, a team of top railway officials inspected Katpadi and Jolarpet railway stations and reviewed the security arrangements.
Balakrishnan, DSP, Government railway police, Salem, said trains move at snail’s space during track change from Katpadi station. “So, robbers board the train mostly near the home signal on both sides. So, two armed police personnel have been deployed at home signals of Katpadi junction” he said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that interstate robbers were involved in the incident. The CBCID which cracked the Chennai - Salem train robbery incident that occurred on August 8, 2016 had already warned the GRP over the presence of inter-State robbers across Tamil Nadu. Two persons from Madhya Pradesh were arrested a few days ago in connection with the train heist.
Man run over by train
CHENNAI: A 28-year-old man was run over by a suburban train at the Nungambakkam station on Monday evening. M Karthick, a private company employee residing at Mugappair, went to Nungambakkam to meet a friend. While he was crossing the tracks, a Beach-bound suburban train from Tambaram hit him.
Prior Incidents:
November 3, 2016:15 sovereigns snatched from passengers of The Niligiris and Mysore Express when trains halted near Katpadi.
December 3, 2016: 20 sovereigns looted on Kerala Express near Katpadi.
February 10, 2017: 20 sovereigns stolen in Sabari Express near Jolarpettai.
April 4, 2017: Gang hits Kerala Express, near Morappur, loots 16 sovereigns.
April 23, 2017: A gang of robbers strike Bengaluru - Chennai Express and loot 25.5 sovereigns near Jolarpettai