Patna: Patna police have rescued a coach attendant who was abducted at gunpoint from the Patna–Mokama railway section, arresting three men in connection with the case.
Rakesh Kumar, a coach attendant on the Pataliputra Express travelling from Patna to Hatia, was taken off the train near Barh railway station on Friday evening after the emergency chain was pulled to stop the train. According to police, Kumar was abducted in retaliation for providing information that helped authorities crack down on a liquor smuggling network operating through rail routes in Bihar.
Officials said the kidnappers, suspected to be liquor smugglers, stopped the train and forced Kumar off near the urban railway station close to the incident site. The state has enforced prohibition since 2016, but illegal liquor smuggling remains widespread, with traffickers increasingly using trains and threatening whistleblowers.
The incident triggered concerns about railway security and public safety. The Railway Police, led by the Eastern Region DSP, launched raids in the surrounding areas, reviewing CCTV footage and coordinating with district police. Kumar was eventually recovered safely, and three suspects have been taken into custody.
