Mysore/Mysuru: The Railways, in an attempt to restart train services, had introduced more than 100 pairs of trains on select routes across the nation commencing from June 1, 2020 and since then there is a huge demand for tickets on majority of routes. Several complaints had been made regarding touts using multiple identities and booking tickets in these trains and selling them at a premium.

On specific information of touting activities during the unprecedented time of global pandemic, the Crime Intelligence Branch of Railway Protection Force, Mysuru Division, launched a drive to identify such illegal activities over the division.

The CIB team collected the PNRs, had them analysed through software and then zeroed in on the suspects.

On July 15, on the strength of a search warrant obtained from the Railway Magistrate, Mysuru, Krishnaji Rao, Sub-Inspector and team conducted a search at Government Fair Price Shop, Hullehalli, Kadur taluk, Chikkmagaluru district and arrested the accused H.G. Puttaswamy, 26-year-old, and recovered 48 numbers of E-tickets worth Rs.17,054 and one mobile phone. 

In this connection, a case has been registered at RPF Outpost at Birur under Section 143 of the Railways Act 1989, according to a press release from Priya Shetty, Divisional Railway Manager and PRO, South Western Railways (SWR).