Three GRP cops held for robbing passenger on train, 4th one at large

Police Inspector Nandkumar Ghorpade has registered an offence against the four constables under section 394 and 34 of Indian Penal Code.

The incident happened on December 4 last year in the Mysore-Ajmer Express in which the passenger, Dinesh Kumar Patel (resident of Chamraj Peth, Bengaluru), was travelling in S-1 bogey.

It took one-and-a-half months for the police to conduct the “internal inquiry” to take action.

As per police, four accused constables, two of whom were on “sick leave” and other two “on duty”, reportedly approached Patel when the train was passing through the Lonavala-Karjat section. They told Patel they had spotted him eating paan masala which, they said, was a grave crime and could send Patel behind bars. They demanded Rs 1 lakh from him to “settle the matter.” When he refused to pay, they threatened and assaulted him and used force to take away Rs 16,000 cash from his pocket. Patel then called up the railway helpline number and narrated the incident.

“Once I was apprised of the incident, I formed a committee under sub-divisional police officer to investigate the incident. After we found the allegations to be true prima facie, we decided to go ahead with lodging of the police complaint,” said Vishwas Pansare, Superintendent, GRP (Pune).

“Three of them have been arrested and produced before a magisterial court. One constable, who is still at large, will soon be nabbed. All of them have been suspended from the duty,” said Pansare.

GRP personnel robbing, threatening and harassing gullible passengers is not a rare occurrence. As per complaint book kept with the Pune Station Manager, complaints of harassment and extortion against GRP personnel is registered every few days.