BENGALURU: An 84-year-old passenger, suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, who went missing from the Latur-Yesvantpur Express (Train no. 06548) when travelling with his son was traced by the Government Railway Police (GRP). Swift action initiated by the cops ensured Ramachandra Gadikar was traced at Yadgir railway station in Karnataka and handed over to his family within seven hours.
According to Superintendent, GRP, D R Siri Gowri, the octogenarian was travelling on Sunday with his son Gopal Gadikar and alighted from the train when the latter had gone to the restroom. Gopal contacted his brother in Bengaluru, Prashanth Gadikar, who called up the control room and requested help by 10.45 am.
The SP said, “We immediately sent out alerts to our staff across all our stations and to the Railway Protection Force personnel with details of the missing individual. His photo was shared across many WhatsApp groups.”
Sub-Inspector Mahesh and Inspector Nachiketh Janagowda tracked him down sitting in a confused state at Yadgir railway station around 4.45 pm. “The family had relatives in Yadgir and we handed him over to them,” Gowri added.
Laptop forgotten on train
The Special Task Force of the GRP today conducted a sudden drive on board the Cauvery Express. The drive from KSR began at 5.30 am with GRP staffers carrying out checks of passenger belongings.
Superintendent Sira Gowri led the team with KSR Inspector Shivakumar, Cantonment Inspector Prabhakar and Mallur Inspector Baramappa. “An individual had left behind his laptop on the train and it was recovered by our cops at Kengeri and handed over to him safely,” the SP said.
A similar surprise drive was carried out at Vijayapura on Sunday.