Two porters held as train heist probe chugs along

The two porters were reportedly part of the helpers’ team who assisted the RBI officers to load the currency boxes into the goods wagon before the train commenced its journey from Salem to Chennai, a distance of approximately 350 km. Meanwhile, the police have traced fingerprints of four persons from the goods wagon in which the cash boxes were kept. The police teams were probing all angles, including the possibility of involvement of any railway staff. Special teams in Salem, Tiruchy and Chennai were also investigating the daring heist, said to be the first in Indian railway history. 

The train, which had left on Monday night, had stopped at 10 stations, including for about 30 minutes at Vridhachalam for change of engine from diesel to electric, before it reached Chennai Egmore early on Tuesday. Senior Railway police officials said Indian Overseas Bank had requested for a carriage for transporting the cash and the train, which was at Erode yard, was nominated. After this, it was lying in the yard for a whole day. The roof of the train was chiselled from the top for every two inches on three sides but was not pushed down or opened either. 

The police believe in two possibilities for the heist.  One, it could have happened when the train halted which seems more plausible. The second rare probability is carrying out the heist on a moving train between Salem and Vridhachalam, which the authorities say was most unlikely. The perpetrators could have climbed on to the roof, pushed down the chiselled roof and made away with the cash.  Investigating authorities said the theft could not have been executed by a single person and they suspect the handiwork of an organised gang, as the miscreants could have entered the coach by cutting through the roof of the coach using gas welding machines. 

Forensic experts, who inspected the coach, have collected blood samples from the spot and sent it for laboratory tests.  The involvement of any gang outside Tamil Nadu was also being probed. According to Annie Vijay, SP, Tiruchy division of Southern Railway, it was a pre-planned heist. The perpetrators may have drilled a hole well in advance, when the train was stationed in the railway yard, either in Erode or Coimbatore. In connection with this, officials plan to question all the railway staff in both these stations.