Gang snaps signal, robs rail passengers at midnight

According to Railway officials and the police, the gang damaged the signal board at Thottampatti to stop the train at 12.06 am before committing the crime. While only five victims travelling to Tirupati and Delhi lodged complaints with the railway police, it is alleged that a few others did not prefer a complaint. Inquiry revealed that victims were mostly in coaches S1 and S2, close to S3 in which Railway Protection Force men were reportedly travelling. 

The train that started from Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday afternoon left the Salem Junction at 11 pm, crossed Morappur, and was heading to Jolarpet when the train’s loco pilot stopped it as he did not get the signal at Thottampatti. Police sources said that most passengers were fast asleep and the gang snatched chains from those who were within their reach. 

“They jumped out of the train when the victims raised an alarm,” police sources said. Railway technical personnel from Morappur rushed to the spot and fixed the signal board, after which, train services resumed 40 minutes later. 

Salem Railway Division officials said the incident resulted in four trains being delayed by 15 to 45 minutes. The police also suspected that the accused could be from north India. Many persons engaged in the railway signal maintenance were from north India and police have not ruled out the possibility of this being an inside job.