Mysuru: Next time your mother or a loved one tells you to be careful and avoid accepting food from strangers on a train, don’t just laugh it off. In fact, you would do well to heed the advice.
From high-profile criminal cases to everyday thefts and burglaries, the modus operandi of criminals has evolved with time. But one of the oldest methods of walking away with someone’s belongings by drugging the person is still in vogue, especially on trains.
An elderly lady from city is the latest victim of such crime. She was robbed off her gold ornaments worth over Rs. 3 lakh at Hubballi Railway Station when she was travelling from Pune to Mysuru. What is shocking is that the lady did not even realise that she was drugged and how she lost consciousness. When she woke up, she found herself in a city hospital.
The senior citizen is Dr. Anila V. Bengeri (known to Star of Mysore readers as Dr. Manik Bengeri since she used to write cultural reviews), a resident of Saraswathipuram 7th Main. 69-year-old Manik Bengeri is a well known Hindustani vocalist.
Manik Bengeri had been to Pune two months back to stay with her son Atul Bengeri who is an engineer and owns a company there. On July 30, she booked a ticket back to Mysuru in the Ajmer Express (train number 16209) and her ticket was confirmed in 2-tier A119 reserved coach.
Her son dropped her at the Pune Railway Station at 4.15 am on July 30 and she reached Hubballi Station at 8 pm. The train was scheduled to reach Mysuru Station on July 31 at 6 am and Manik Bengeri had informed her regular driver Suhas to be at the Mysuru Station to receive her and pick up her luggage.
Dr. Manik Bengeri does not recollect what happened at Hubballi Station. “I was in the reserved compartment and there were over 4 to 5 passengers. One man came to the bed by my side and that’s all I remember. Whether he gave something to eat or injected me with a drug, I don’t remember,” she told Star of Mysore this morning.
Driver Suhas is a trusted employee working with Shivanna, the taxi owner and Manik Bengeri used to travel in Shivanna’s vehicle since many years. As scheduled, when the train reached Mysuru Station at 6 am on July 31, Suhas knew the bogie in which Bengeri was travelling. But when he entered the compartment, he found her sleeping.
Suhas was shocked to realise that Manik Bengeri had lost consciousness as she did not wake up despite his repeated nudges. Panicking, he called Atul Bengeri and narrated his mother’s condition. Atul, who was about to leave to Allahabad on a business trip when the call came, immediately called his wife Shraddha Bengeri.
Shraddha then informed Dr. Shaila and Dr. Jagadeesh Kini, the doctor couple known to Bengeri family. The lady was rushed to Kamakshi Hospital and she was admitted in the ICU for a day. She is now recuperating in the special ward.
Manik Bengeri told SOM that her two ear-rings, one gold chain and a pendant, one finger ring and four bangles all worth Rs. 3 lakh (110 grams) were stolen in the train. “I don’t know what happened and the valuables are missing now,” she said in a dazed state. The criminals, however, did not touch the cash kept in her vanity bag.
Doctors at the hospital have found a mark on the right shoulder and there is a swelling due to a small injury. She has suffered a mild stroke as she is a diabetic and a BP patient. It is now suspected that the mark on her shoulder would have been caused either due to the drug injection administered by the criminals or a minor scuffle that would have ensued between the attackers and the lady.
Manik Bengeri said that though it was a reserved compartment, there was no security for ladies and senior citizens who are most vulnerable to criminal attacks. “I have informed Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha and he has promised help,” she said.
Railway clarifies
A senior security officer from Mysuru Railway Division, who did not want to be quoted, told SOM that they would take action against criminals if complained. “This case has not come to our notice,” he said. The officer was, however, silent when asked about the absence of TT, Train Captains and other Railway officials in a reserved compartment in an express train.
The onus is on passengers too, said another official.
“The modus operandi is simple. The gangs, once on the train, identify vulnerable people or those carrying valuables. They befriend them and eventually offer them drug-laced drink or food. So long as people don’t fall for such offers, such incidents can never take place,” he said.
“Will alert Railway Ministry on crime”
“The incident has come to my notice. I will alert the Railway officials and the Ministry so that such incidents do not occur. Passengers must be careful when they are travelling alone and women and senior citizens must be extra careful as they are vulnerable. It is sad that a senior citizen from Mysuru was attacked and robbed. I will try to get compensation to the victim.” — Pratap Simha, MP, Mysuru Kodagu
Knowledge of crime is sufficient and needed a written complaint. The railways can hear from the old lady write it down and take a signature . The T T should take a photo of each passenger travelling while checking the tickets or cctv cameras to be fixed and monitored. It is a fact that all ladies and senior citizens are vulnarable and extra care needed. Nowadays technical and educated criminals are there. The railways should look in to utmost safety of the passengers.
So sad. Woman should avoid jewellery when travelling alone, but if is really to wear she could have travelled by air
True .. in Europe the TT has a small scanner , while checking the tickets, its automatically the each individuals photo is been captured. This is a record and this could be a one reason for low rate for such crimes, over there, this could be done here too. Its a pity that we have only very few educated Politicians. Their ideas are on something totally different than the prestent generation, which is a huge generation gap.