Railway parcel agent illegally loads goods, but 2 clerks suspended

Chennai

A ‘tainted’ parcel agent had allegedly broken open a sealed parcel van of a Chennai-Ernakulam parcel special train at the terminal two days ago. Worse, the parcel agent was also said to have offloaded a booked parcel and replaced it with fish consignment barely half an hour before the train’s scheduled departure from Central at 8 am on Friday.

The issue came to light after a consignor had reported to the parcels not reaching the destination and reported the same to authorities at Central a day later. A railway source at Chennai Central revealed to DT Next that men belonging to the parcel agent had broken open the sealed luggage van and replaced the booked consignment with the fish load. “At least he should have reloaded the offloaded parcels. He did not because there was no time to reload the offloaded consignment. How did he book the parcel 30 minutes prior to the departure? How did he manage to load at 7.30 am on a luggage van sealed half an hour earlier? How can fish be loaded along with stationery in the same luggage van?” asked sources.

Sources also added that the parcel special left Central without the luggage van being sealed on Friday. Curiously, a loading and booking clerk who were on duty then were suspended after the consignor of the offloaded parcel reported non-delivery of the consignment.

Railway sources added that the clerks had reported the issue to the RPF unaware that they would be reprimanded a day later. DT Next has reliably learnt that RPF had served a memo to one of its personnel, but no follow up action has been initiated so far.

“Indeed, it is a criminal offence. The agent should have been arrested straightaway for breaking the seal. It is not just trespass. But, two clerks have been suspended,” remarked a railway officer requesting anonymity. Inquiries revealed that the parcel agent was the same person allegedly involved in the mysterious disappearance of 11 impounded parcels at the same Central terminal more than a year ago.

When asked, Chief PRO of Southern Railway B Guganesan said, “The RPF has booked a case against the agent. They are investigating. The two clerks were suspended for lapse in a different case.”