Two train dacoities shock CRs Ngp Divn Staff Reporter : Two back to back dacoties were reported on-board running trains in Central Railways Nagpur Division during early hours of Tuesday. The incidents occurred at Bharatwada station on Nagpur-Itarsi section on Grand Trunk route. The two trains that were targeted included 08243 Bilaspur-Bhagat Ki Kothi and 02851 Vishakapatnam-Hazrat Nizamuddin Special Express. The dacoits struck shortly after midnight and thereafter around 2 am at the same stretch taking advantage of slackness in patrolling on part of Railway Protection Force (RPF). The first train to be targeted was 08243 Bilaspur-Bhagat ki Kothi when the dacoits who sources said numbered between 10-12 looted passengers in two bogies of 2AC. The way incident occurred it seems dacoits were familiar with the train system since they had tinkered with the cock that maintains air pressure in bogies. The moment cock was downed the pressure in Guards cabin rapidly downed to zero and it halted the train near the advance starter signal at Bharatwada. The dacoits thereafter targeted the passengers in the air conditioned bogies and as per primary information the team was keeping eye on targets from Durg onwards. The travellers were sound asleep when they were targeted but immediately raised alert on learning about their missing articles. They informed about the incident to Train Conductor who in turn alerted other train staff. Bhagat Ki Kothi scheduled departure from Nagpur Railway Station is recorded around 1.30 am and the train might have reached Bharatwada station within 15 minutes. The dacoits looted the handbags in which cash and gold articles were taken away and they fled in cover of darkness. Since it took long for train staff to determine cause of loss of pressure Bhagat Ki Kothi remained detained at Bharatwada for half an hour. The train left at 2.13 am. Just 7 minutes after the departure of Bhagat Ki Kothi Express another train 02851 running behind it was similarly stopped by pulling the chain at 2.20 am. Some people were also seen getting off the train and running away. This train also stopped for about 17 minutes. Both the trains were at a distance of about 300 meters from Bharatwada station. The next stop of the trains was at Itarsi and there the passengers lodged their complaints about looting. On the other hand while inspecting the spot a passenger bag was found near the tracks. Two mobile handset and Rs. 20000 were also found in the bag and RPF officers said in a hurry to escape the bags might have slipped form the clutches of dacoits. Team of RPF and Government Railway Police (GRP) reach the spot and have started investigation.

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