A woman passenger travelling on the Patna–Mokama–Jhajha rail section has reported the theft of a bag containing gold jewellery worth around Rs. 30 lakh and Rs. 50,000 in cash, in an incident that has once again spotlighted security concerns on trains in Bihar.
The theft took place late on Sunday night in a third AC coach of the 13288 Down South Bihar Express, despite the presence of railway security personnel. The incident triggered alarm within the railway administration.
Theft discovered after Mokama departure
According to the complaint, the victim, Richa Kumari, had boarded the train at Danapur with her husband, Swaraj Suman. The couple was travelling from Buxar to Jamshedpur to attend a wedding in the Golmuri area.
Kumari, who was recently married, was carrying approximately 20 tolas of gold jewellery intended for the function, along with cash for travel expenses. She realised her bag was missing shortly after the train departed Mokama station.
A zero FIR was registered at the Jamshedpur railway police station on Monday morning and is being transferred to the Mokama rail police for further investigation.
Railway officials await formal complaint
Vinod Kumar, DSP (Rail), Patna East, said that the zero FIR had not yet been received by his office. “Action will be initiated after receiving the application and questioning the victim,” he said.
Mokama rail station house officer Nitish Kumar said the matter had not yet been formally reported in writing to his station but confirmed that a preliminary inquiry had begun.
Pattern of thefts raises alarm
The incident is the latest in a series of thefts targeting passengers carrying valuables on Bihar’s rail network. In a recent case, jewellery worth nearly Rs. 50 lakh was stolen from a passenger on the Amritsar–Howrah Express.
Another case of gold robbery was reported last month on the Barauni–Hathidah–Kiul section, which was later solved jointly by Hathidah rail police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Mokama.
The recurrence of such crimes has raised serious questions about passenger safety, particularly in reserved coaches, where travellers expect greater security.
