The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Railway Police have stepped up investigation into the theft of Rs. 5.78 crore from a parcel van attached to the Salem – Chennai Egmore Express.
The Salem Railway Junction and the goods yard nearby witnessed hectic activity since the break of the dawn on Wednesday as police and RPF personnel carried out thorough checks.
Annie Z. Vijaya, Superintendent of Police, Railway Police, Tiruchi, inspected Salem Railway Junction, from where the train originated and other spots nearby.
She held discussion with Sanjay Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Salem City, and P. Rajmohan, Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF, Salem.
Ms. Annie Vijaya said that different police teams with the assistance of the local police were conducting inquiries in the railway station and along the Salem – Attur – Vriddhachalam section.
Mobile phone calls
The teams are also examining all the mobile phone calls made during the night in the Salem Junction – Vridhachalam – Chennai Egmore section.
Senior police officers of the Railway Police from different places have been drafted in the investigations. The Railway SP ruled out the possibility of miscreants breaking open the roof of the parcel van in the Vridhachalam – Chennai Egmore section due to the presence of overhead electric wire.
The police are concentrating in the Salem – Attur – Vridhachalam section, as the train is hauled by diesel locomotive in this section.
Special teams also made inquiries in Mukhasa Parur and Pukkiravari railway stations prior to Vridhachalam junction, where the train was said to have moved slowly.
Senior police personnel of the Railway Police are camping at Vridhachalam Junction and spearheading the investigations.
Mr. Rajmohan, who also inspected Salem Junction and the goods yard later, told presspersons that since the parcel van was brought from Erode, an RPF team has rushed to Erode to make inquiries with the junction and goods yard staff of that station.
[Source: The Hindu]
