Kota (Rajasthan): Rajasthan Police are investigating an alleged theft by coach attendants who decamped with about 540 grams of gold worth ₹33.50 lakh and cash worth ₹36.50 lakh from a passenger on board a Tejas Rajdhani Express plying between Delhi and Mumbai, officials said Saturday.
Police said the coach attendants convinced the passenger, who is an employee of a gold jeweller, to give up the jewels and cash, citing security checks by the RPF and other security agencies, while he was travelling to Mumbai from Delhi on a business trip.
According to the victim, the incident took place on December 12. The victim, Lohit Regar, (32), who has been employed by Vikas Sardana, a resident of Delhi, was travelling on Coach no. B5. Vikas had given cash and jewels to Lohit to be refurbished in Mumbai.
While onboard the Rajdhani train, he came in contact with two coach attendants who were taking care of his coach and B6. He was sharing the seat with the coach attendant in B5 since his tickets were not confirmed and the ticket inspector on duty imposed a penalty of ₹5,300 on Lohit and allowed to continue the travel.
At around 9.30 pm, coach attendants from B5 and B6 who were with Lohit told him that a security check is going to be carried out on the train by the security personnel and that his gold and cash might be seized.
Lohit handed over the cash and jewels to the attendants who promised to safekeep it until the security checks are over that night and to return it when the train reaches his destination. The duo didn't return the jewels as promised and vanished from the train.
Lohit who searched them throughout the train alerted his employer about his tryst with the coach attendants. The employer asked him to continue his journey to Mumbai and the get the details of the 'missing' coach attendants from there and pass on the same.
Police said Lohit was carrying 540 grams of gold including rings, earrings, pendal set, mangalsutra and tika. He managed to establish the identity of the coach attendants and passed on the same to his employer. Police said they have the identities and are verifying the facts.
A GRP police official said, “Vikas Sardana has lodged a complaint of theft on December 14. He has accused two coach attendants of stealing from his employee the valuables and cash that the latter was carrying to Mumbai." Police said Lohit also carried out a manhunt for the duo in their villages in vain.
