Duronto Express Passengers Looted Near Gaya

Patna: In a shocking case of mid-journey robbery, passengers aboard the New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Duronto Express were looted in the early hours of Friday near Gaya in Bihar.

According to officials from the Gaya Government Railway Police (GRP), a group of unidentified miscreants targeted at least five coaches of the high-speed train around 2 a.m. on the Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU)-Gaya section, between Paraiya and Kastha stations.

The robbers stole bags, mobile phones, laptops, and other valuables from at least a dozen passengers. After the looting, they pulled the train’s emergency chain to bring it to a halt and fled into the darkness, leaving the train stranded for over 30 minutes.

Victims recounted that some suspicious individuals were seen roaming inside the train shortly after it departed from DDU station on Thursday night. Several passengers expressed anger over the lack of security, stating that no Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel were present in the coaches during the journey.

The incident triggered protests at Gaya Railway Station, where agitated passengers demanded the recovery of their belongings and stronger onboard security measures. Upon receiving information, personnel from both the GRP and local Paraiya police reached the scene and began their investigation.

A special investigation team led by the Railway Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) has been formed to track down the culprits. During the initial search, several empty bags were found discarded near the tracks, indicating the stolen items had been removed before the bags were thrown away.

Police suspect the involvement of a well-organised gang, especially as a similar looting incident had occurred two months ago on the same Duronto Express near Tankuppa station on the Gaya-Koderma railway section.

An FIR has been registered at the Gaya GRP police station, and efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible.