Rajdhani Express passengers sedated, robbed of Rs 15 lakh cash

In what could be a huge embarrasment for Indian Railways, passengers on the August Kranti Rajdhani Express travelling from Mumbai to Delhi were drugged and robbed in the early hours of Wednesday.

The incident comes after Indian Railways had hiked fares on its premium trains like Rajdhani, Duranto and Shatabdi Express.

Passengers of nine coaches of Delhi-bound August Kranti Rajdhani Express were robbed of over Rs 10-15 lakh in cash.

The passengers on-board the train were robbed near Kota in Rajasthan around 4 am. "The passengers were drugged and when they fell unconscious, the thieves targeted them and stole the cash and jewellery estimated to be around Rs10-15 lakh," a senior police official told Mail Today.

The Mumbai-Nizamuddin August Kranti Rajdhani is one of the fastest trains on busy Delhi-Mumbai route.

Commenting on the robbery on-board the train, Railway minister Suresh Prabhu said CCTV cameras are being installed in coaches to keep a check on such incidents.

The passengers who were robbed reported the matter when the train arrived at Nizamuddin railway station.

"A total of 12 passengers have filed FIRs in connection with the theft. Empty wallets and purses were found dumped near the toilets and vestibules of the train," the police told Mail Today.

As per the statements given by the passengers, it is suspected that the robbery took place at the time when the train was left unguarded at Kota station for the change of staff. "I have lost valuables and cash worth Rs 50,000. I have heard that at least seven-eight coaches are affected," said a woman who alleged that the train was left virtually unguarded when there was a change of staff at Kota station.

The Railway Police Force said it has information about at least six passengers being robbed and it will file an FIR or formal complaint. In April, robbers struck the Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express at a place in Bihar and made away with cash and jewellery worth lakhs from sleeping passengers.