LUCKNOW: A Group D railway staff member was beaten to death by fellow passengers on the moving Humsafar Express train after he allegedly sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl. The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday between Lucknow and Kanpur.
The deceased has been identified as Prashant Kumar, 34, of Sarmastpur village of Saraiya police station area of Muzaffarpur district in Bihar.
According to GRP Kanpur Central, Prashant had got a job on compensatory grounds and was posted at Begusarai railway station under Sonpur division of East Central Railway.
Police claimed that Prashant had boarded the M1 coach of Barauni-Delhi Humsafar (02563) Clone Express from Muzaffarpur for Delhi on an unreserved ticket, but after being penalised by the train ticket examiner, he was given a side lower berth.
“Around 2:30 am on Wednesday, a minor girl travelling with her parents, grandmother, and younger brother (9), complained to her mother that Prashant had touched her inappropriately during the journey. As soon as the mother of the minor girl confronted Prashant, the other passengers, along with the girl’s father, pounded on Prashant and assaulted him. When the train reached Kanpur Central railway station, Prashant was brought to the GRP station, and the victim’s parents gave a written complaint against him,” said GRP superintendent of police Abhishek Yadav, posted in Prayagraj division.
As per official sources, the injured Prashant was taken into custody by the GRP at Kanpur Central station. However, due to his deteriorating health condition, the GRP took him to 'Kamlapat Memorial Hospital', where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Prashant was booked under the POCSO Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita 74 (Assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty).
According to police sources, Prashant’s relative didn’t give any written complaint over his death. “Prashant’s relative informed that he was not in contact with the family, although he was married. He was suffering from depression. An FIR will be lodged if the family agrees to give a written complaint after the cremation of Prashant’s mortal remains,” said Om Narayan Singh, SHO, Kanpur Central, GRP.
According to an official source, since Humsafar train coaches have CCTV, the entire incident of alleged molestation and then assault must have been captured in it. The footage will establish the reality of the incident.
However, Abhishek Yadav, the SP GRP Prayagraj division denied having CCTV cameras in the coach. Further, since the train was not regular, but a special one, there were no RPF or GRP squads on the train.
Following the death of Prashant, the girl and her parents left Kanpur Central railway station by the Shram Shakti Express. The family hails from Siwan district of Bihar but is settled in Sector-12 of Gurugram.