NEW DELHI: A Delhi Police constable came as a saviour for a 53-year-old labourer who had forgotten a bag containing Rs 1 lakh cash at the platform on Shivaji Bridge railway station here and left on a train for home in UP.
Vijay Kumar, who lives in Shakur Basti in northwest Delhi, is the only bread winner of his family.
On June 30, he had withdrawn Rs 1 lakh from his bank account in the national capital and bought 55 kg of ration items to head back to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh's Khurja, where he wanted to build a house for his children.
But unfortunately, he loaded the two bags of ration in the Bareilly-New Delhi intercity express and left his cash bag behind on a bench at the platform.
Meanwhile, Constable Narender Kumar posted with the New Delhi Railway police station was on duty at Shivaji Bridge station and taking rounds at the platform after the intercity express train had left the station.
While on duty, Narender found the carry bag on the bench and enquired with a few passengers if it belonged to anyone.
I decided to keep the unclaimed bag with me.
On checking it, I found two cash bundles amounting to Rs 1 lakh with some rotis packed in a foil paper, water bottle, cheque book, bank passbook along with an Aadhar and ration card.
"I immediately informed my seniors about it and tried to get in touch with Vijay Kumar but when I was unable to get through to him, I decided to wait till someone comes to enquire about it, he said.
Hours later, around 6.30 pm, Vijay returned to Shivaji Bridge station in search of the money and was safely handed over the carry bag and Rs 1 lakh by the constable after due formalities.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Harendra Kumar Singh said, Vijay Kumar left his carry bag at the station.
Our constable Narender found the bag unclaimed and returned the belongings to Kumar along with his cash of Rs 1 lakh.
Recalling the day, Vijay said it was very hot and he was sitting on a bench at the platform waiting for the train to arrive.
As the train arrived, he loaded the ration items and boarded the train in a hurry leaving behind his thaila (carry bag) on the bench.
When I got off at Anand Vihar station, I felt thirsty and that is when I realised that I had misplaced my thaila.
I panicked and was in tears because I had Rs 1 lakh cash in it.
This money was very important for me.
I had been saving it to build a small house for my children, he said.
I am a poor man.
For a labourer like me, Rs 1 lakh is a huge amount.
No one helped me when I requested a few of them at Anand Vihar station to keep my ration for a few hours until I return so that I could go find my money.
I had lost all hopes but Narender babu was a saviour.
He handed over my belongings and also got me boarded in the next train safely, a relieved Vijay said.