CHENNAI: A licensed porter of Tambaram station was on Wednesday presented a memento by Southern Railway for his honesty and help to enable a passenger get back a bag containing ` 5.75 lakh he had lost.
Poyyamozhi has been working as a porter at Tambaram for more than 15 years. On November 1 around 3.45 a.m, soon after the departure of Salem - Chennai Egmore Express, he noticed an unclaimed bag on platform number 5.
He checked the bag and found that it contained cash. He immediately alerted the duty pointsman and Station Master, who in turn alerted Railway Protection Force, Tambaram. The bag had `5,75,720 lakh along with used clothes.
The RPF lost no time in tracing the passenger in the train that was about to reach Chennai Egmore. Meanwhile, the passenger who lost the bag, after alighting at Chennai Egmore, gave a complaint. He was immediately informed that the bag had been traced and it was returned to him.
When the passenger wanted to give a cash award to Poyyamozhi for his honesty and helping him to get back the cash, the porter refused to accept it saying he was only doing his duty.
It may be recalled that on earlier occasions also when he was serving at the station, he had reunited runaway children with their parents.
In recognition of his honesty and integrity, Chennai Divisional Railway Manager Naveen Gulati visited Tambaram station on Wednesday and personally appreciated Poyyamozhi and gave him a memento, a small model of a Railway Coach from Rail Museum, as a token of appreciation from the railways.