Patna: Serious concerns have been raised over the security of Indian Railways’ parcel services after goods worth more than Rs 5 lakh belonging to the brother of a Bihar minister disappeared from a moving train.
Dhananjay Kumar, whose brother Sanjay Singh serves as Bihar’s Public Health Engineering Department minister, had booked 12 cartons of leather products on the Tatanagar-Thawe Express on December 23. The consignment, valued at Rs 5,32,751, was expected to be offloaded at Hajipur station, where Kumar runs the Shree Leather showroom.
However, when the staff arrived to collect the parcel, it was missing. Four days later, railway authorities have yet to trace the goods, prompting allegations of theft and a widening investigation.
Railway sources said initial checks indicate the seal of the parcel coach may have been tampered with between Kiul and Muzaffarpur stations. Parcels were reportedly loaded at Purulia and Kiul en route, and an “unusual space” was noticed when bundles of bidis were removed at Muzaffarpur. CCTV footage along the route is now being examined.
The case has generated significant attention due to the political connection. Singh’s private secretary has written directly to the Union Railway Minister seeking intervention, with copies of the complaint sent to East Central Railway headquarters and the divisional manager in Danapur. Officials in the parcel department are being questioned.
The railways, which routinely assert that parcel transport is safe, have faced renewed criticism over security lapses. “If goods belonging to a minister’s family can disappear like this, what hope is there for ordinary traders?” asked a Hajipur trader outside the station. The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made so far.
