Kin of fighting children get involved in Malda clash

Some women passengers travelling in the Up Gour Express, who were going to Malda from Sealdah, alleged that on-board rail policemen molested them inside their compartment. A complaint was lodged at Malda Government Railway Police station against the accused policemen.

The passengers alleged that the accused policemen tried to drag them out of their compartment despite having proper tickets. “They did not have any patience to hear us. We showed them our tickets, but they started to demand cash,” said a passenger.

However, a GRP source said, the complainants were part of one large family, of whom 44 members were travelling in the train. “Most of those family members were intoxicated. Our officers charged them with punishment fees as drinking inside the railway compartment is prohibited,” said the GRP officer.

“They started to blame us that our officers demanded money from them, which is a far from the truth,” the officer added. The GRP source said that the policemen had entered the compartment to find clues regarding an investigation into a theft case in which valuables of two Congress MLAs were stolen on Thursday. The MLAs who were robbed were Asif Mehbub of Chanchal and Mostaque Alam of Harishchandrapur.

“We believe those policemen were searching the passengers without any reason. They looked frustrated after they were unable to find any clues about the theft cases lodged by MLAs,” said a passenger.

It may be recalled that around a year ago a girl student travelling from Sealdah to Malda on the Gour Express was allegedly molested by an intoxicated passenger.

The drunken passenger allegedly molested the 21-year-old girl. She raised an alarm following which IRCTC attendants and fellow passengers came to her rescue.

After the girl got no response from the railway helpline, she registered a written complaint with IRCTC, following which the TT came to the bogie. The accused tried to jump out of the train but was caught and handed over to railway police. Many passengers have raised concern over the security arrangement inside the Gour Express.