ANANTAPUR: Unidentified robbers cut signal cables and snapped signal systems which forced the Tirupati-Secunderabad Seven Hills Express (Train 12769) to halt near Turkapally near Gooty railway station late on Friday night and robbed gold jewellery robbed from a woman after threatening passengers in two reserved compartments.
When the train stopped, due to an apparent fault in the signal system, the gang entered the S5 and S7 bogies and snatched seven tolas gold jewellery from one Lakshmi Devi of Perumallapalli in Tirupati district. They robbers made a futile attempt to snatch a gold chain from another passenger before escaping.
The railway police of Guntakal division and Anantapur police were immediately alerted. Some passengers lodged a complaint with Dhone railway police.
Anantapur SP Dr. Fakeerappa Kaginelli alerted all nearby police stations, including those in Karnataka borders, to nab the robbers. Police teams conducted searches at all possible locations, including nearby lodges.
Police suspect the involvement of an inter-state gang.
“When signal cables are cut, trains have to stop till they get clearance from the next station. This is when the robbers strike. This has been happening for quite some years,” a senior police official said.
