Title - Family falls prey to gang at rly station, offered eatables laced with sedatives

Bathinda: A gang involved in looting people by offering food stuff laced with intoxicants is active at the Bathinda railway station. The gang has so far looted people twice by offering such eatables during the last fortnight.Recently, a resident of Tezpur in Assam was found lying unconscious at the railway station. He reported Rs 1,000 missing from his pocket. The man, Pappu Singh, was taken to the Civil Hospital by the volunteers of Sahara Jan Sewa where he revealed that some youths offered him liquor after which he fell unconscious and lost his money as well.In another incident that took place last night, a family of labourers lost Rs 15,000 in a similar manner. Five members of the family, including two children, are undergoing treatment at the local hospital.The family members, including Ram Bahadur (35), Dharam Devi (30), their children Pooja (18), Prem Lata (10) and Kuldeep (12), were found vomiting near the ticket counter.A passenger brought the matter to the notice of the NGO, Sahara Jan Sewa.The family members were rushed to the Civil Hospital where their condition was said to be serious but improving. It will take another 24 hours for them to recover, Sahara workers said.Sahara Jan Sewa president Vijay Goyal said this is the second such incident to have taken place at the railway station during the last fortnight.

A similar incident was also reported at Thermal Colony a few months ago.

The family of migrant labourers was on its way to Uttar Pradesh after planting paddy in the villages of Malout. The miscreants were aware that the family was returning home and must be carrying cash. The family members revealed they were offered tea by some youths after which they became unconscious. "Their belongings were searched by the youths who took away Rs 15,000," Goyal said.

Goyal added that the matter has been brought to the notice of the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the case is being probed.

He said despite warnings to the passengers not to accept eatables from strangers in the train or at railway station, people continues to become victims of such miscreants.

Volunteers of Sahara Jan Sewa said the railway police and the Punjab Police should initiate a drive to make the railway passengers aware of the nefarious designs of those offering eatables to the passengers to loot them.