GUWAHATI: Railway authorities in Assam are leaving no stone unturned to take additional security measures in passenger trains in the wake of back-to-back recoveries of bodies of two women inside coaches.
The body of a female student of the Assam Agricultural University was found in a toilet of the Kamakhya Express on Tuesday in Simaluguri railway junction followed by the recovery of a woman’s body from the toilet of the Avadh Assam Express at Mariani railway junction on Wednesday afternoon.
“Security personnel have been deployed in all passenger trains between Dibrugarh-Tinsukia- Dimapur of Tinsukia division in the wake of the untoward incidents,” N. Bhattacharjee, public relations officer of NF Railway told The Shillong Times on Thursday.
The similarities of the incidents have raised questions whether any “serial killer” is on the prowl.
Investigation is on with police releasing the sketch of the suspected “killer” of the AAU student on Thursday. Assam Police had roped in the services of an expert sketch artist from Kolkata.
The railway authorities have also urged people to be conscious and report if they find suspicious people embarking coaches or on platforms.
“It would help if people intimate the presence of any suspicious person inside trains or on platforms immediately to the railway security helpline number 182 or to the on-duty security personnel,” Bhattacharjee said.
He further said since both the incidents took place inside SLR (Seating cum Luggage Rake) coaches and the authorities have temporarily closed the portion meant for physically challenged people.
“The portions of such rakes meant for physically challenged passengers have no vestibules and hence as part of the security drill, we have for the time being kept them off passengers,” Bhattacharjee said.
Asked whether such measures were taken in other divisions of NFR, he said, “As of now, the measures have been taken in Tinsukia division. But in general, security personnel are keeping vigil across divisions.”