A joint team of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Crime Branch and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 1.242 kg of suspected foreign-origin gold, estimated to be worth around ₹2 crore, from the Howrah-Mumbai Duronto Express.

Two men were arrested during the operation, which was conducted amid heightened security arrangements ahead of Independence Day. The seized consignment included seven gold biscuits and one gold bar.

Joint Operation on Duronto Express

The action followed information received by an inspector of the RPF Crime Branch in Nagpur regarding two passengers allegedly travelling with a gold consignment on train number 12262, Howrah-Mumbai Duronto Express.

Following the information, teams from the RPF Crime Branch in Raipur and Nagpur, along with officials from DRI Nagpur, launched a joint operation.

The teams began checking the train while it was travelling between Raipur and Nagpur.

Suspects Held Between Bhandara and Nagpur

During the search, officials identified two suspects, Suresh Kumar and Dhairyashil, in coach B-12.

The two were intercepted between Bhandara and Nagpur. A search of their belongings led to the recovery of seven gold biscuits and one gold bar.

The total weight of the seized gold was approximately 1.242 kg. Preliminary investigation identified it as foreign-origin gold, according to officials.

The two suspects were subsequently handed over to DRI Nagpur for further investigation.

Case Registered Under Customs Act

DRI Nagpur has registered a case against the two accused under Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962.

Officials are questioning the suspects to determine the origin of the gold and the intended recipient of the consignment. Investigators are also examining whether the two men were part of a larger smuggling network.

The process of producing the accused before a court is also underway.

Probe Into Gold Smuggling Network

Investigators are now attempting to establish how the gold entered the country, who arranged the shipment and where it was supposed to be delivered.

The agency is also looking into the possible involvement of other individuals connected with the consignment.

Officials suspect that the seized gold may be part of a broader network that transports smaller consignments through railway routes to different parts of the country.

Dubai Route Under Scanner

According to information from the DRI, smuggled gold can enter India through routes involving Dubai, Bangladesh and Nepal, before reaching West Bengal.

From there, smaller consignments may be moved by train towards major commercial centres such as Mumbai, Surat and Ahmedabad.

Investigators are examining whether the seized consignment was connected to any such route.

The seizure comes at a time when security agencies have stepped up surveillance and checks across transport hubs ahead of Independence Day on August 15.

The deceased has been identified as Sandeep Kumar Sinha, an Area Manager with Oriental Insurance Company's Raipur branch. According to railway officials, he was a regular commuter who frequently travelled between Durg and Raipur by train using a monthly railway pass.

The accident occurred in the early hours of July 23 at around 5:45 a.m. A Durg–Raipur local train was standing at Platform No. 4 when the Pune–Hatia Superfast Express arrived at Platform No. 3. After its scheduled halt, the express train began moving out of the station.

Investigators said Sinha initially intended to travel by the local train but changed his mind after noticing the departing superfast express. He hurried towards the moving train in an attempt to board it before it left the platform.

During the attempt, the laptop bag he was carrying reportedly slipped down his arm, affecting his grip on the coach handrail. As he tried to regain balance, he lost his footing and fell into the gap between the platform and the moving train.

The train ran over part of his body, severing his right leg. The impact caused severe injuries, and he suffered massive blood loss at the scene.

Passengers immediately alerted railway authorities, following which personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and railway staff rushed to the platform. He was pulled away from the tracks and shifted to the district hospital in an ambulance. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Police identified the victim through documents recovered from his belongings. His body was sent for post-mortem examination before being handed over to family members.

Two days after the accident, CCTV footage of the incident surfaced on social media and has since circulated widely online. The video shows Sinha running alongside the moving train before losing balance while trying to climb aboard. Railway officials have urged the public not to share the footage without discretion, given its sensitive nature.

Railway authorities have reiterated that passengers should never attempt to board or alight from moving trains. Officials said even a few seconds saved by trying to catch a departing train can result in irreversible consequences.

Preliminary findings indicate that the accident was caused by the loss of balance while boarding the moving train. The role of the slipping laptop bag is also being examined as part of the investigation.

The Government Railway Police has registered the case and is continuing its inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Railway authorities are also expected to review station surveillance footage and witness statements as part of standard procedure.

The tragedy has prompted renewed discussions about passenger safety at railway stations, with officials once again appealing to commuters to wait for the next available train instead of taking risks that could prove fatal.

Stone-throwing targets E-1 executive coach of Shatabdi Express; RPF and GRP launch search, two arrests reported

A window pane in the E-1 executive coach of the Shatabdi Express was shattered on Thursday evening after stones were reportedly hurled at the train while it passed between Makkhanpur and Firozabad, officials said. The coach was carrying Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, who was unhurt, authorities added.

Initial details
According to railway and police officials, the incident occurred in the late evening as the Kanpur–New Delhi Shatabdi was en route to Tundla Junction. An object — later identified as a stone — struck the E-1 coach, breaking a window pane. Bhagwat, seated in that coach, was reportedly safe and continued his journey.

Security response
Following the report, joint teams of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) rushed to the Makkhanpur–Firozabad section and increased deployment along the route. Senior officers reached Tundla Junction, where the train arrived at Platform No. 1 at 7:34 pm and departed after inspection at 7:41 pm, officials said.

“Initial reports indicate the coach window was damaged by a stone,” a railway official said on condition of anonymity. “The passenger in that coach is safe. A search operation is underway in the nearby areas.”

Arrests and probe
Uttar Pradesh police said two men were arrested in connection with the stone-pelting. Local law enforcement and railway police are conducting searches in villages around the stretch where the attack took place to trace any additional suspects and to recover the weapon used.

Officials did not immediately release the identities of those detained. Officers said they were examining CCTV footage from stations and nearby level crossings and collecting statements from onboard staff and fellow passengers.

Sequence earlier in the day
Bhagwat had attended a blessing ceremony in Kanpur earlier on Thursday at around 2:30 pm for Vasundhara, the elder daughter of former BJP MP Satyadev Pachauri’s family member Neetu Singh, who is set to be married on June 21. The event drew several local leaders and required heightened security arrangements, police said.

After the function, Bhagwat boarded the Shatabdi Express to return to New Delhi. The stone reportedly struck the coach during that journey, while the train ran through the Makkhanpur–Firozabad stretch.

Ground-level cues
Passengers on board told reporters they heard a loud thud and saw a crack in the window pane before railway staff sealed the coach for inspection. Some travellers expressed unease over the attack but praised the quick response by RPF and GRP personnel once the incident was reported.

Local residents and commuters near the rail section said authorities intensified patrolling after the incident and that security vans were seen combing the area during the night.

Impact and public relevance
Stone-pelting on running trains raises concerns about passenger safety and the vulnerability of dignitaries travelling by scheduled services. Railway officials said they will review footage and strengthen cover in vulnerable stretches, particularly where trains slow down or pass close to habitations.

A senior police officer in Firozabad said such acts are treated as serious offences, and the team will seek to determine whether the incident was targeted or a random attack. “We are probing motive and will follow all leads,” the officer said.

Next steps
Investigating agencies said they will quiz the arrested men, examine local CCTV and level-crossing records, and check mobile phone tower pings to reconstruct movement in the area. Railway authorities are expected to issue an advisory for increased patrolling on the Kanpur–Delhi route until further notice.

The RPF and GRP have appealed to commuters and locals to share any information or footage that could aid the probe. Officials cautioned against speculation until the investigation establishes motive and culpability.

Balod Train Suicide: Couple Found Dead on Tracks in Daundi

A 23-year-old man and a Class 10 student allegedly died by suicide on the Dalli Rajhara-Antagarh rail route; police probe ongoing.

A tragic incident came to light in the early hours of Wednesday in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district, where a young man and a teenage girl allegedly died by suicide after jumping before a moving train. The incident took place around 3:30 AM on the Dalli Rajhara-Antagarh rail section, specifically near the Salhaitola stoppage under the jurisdiction of the Daundi police station.

The victims have been identified as Jiteshwar Taram, 23, a resident of Kumhalori village, and Lileshwari Uike, 17, a Class 10 student hailing from Salhe village. According to initial reports, the duo reached the tracks on a motorcycle before the passenger train (78823) approached the spot.

Gruesome Scene at the Stoppage

The impact of the collision was so severe that it resulted in the immediate death of both individuals. Local railway officials stated that the loco pilot of the passenger train alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF) immediately after the incident.

When the police and RPF teams reached the spot at daybreak, they found the bodies in a severely mutilated state. One of the victims’ limbs and head had been severed due to the force of the engine. A motorcycle, bearing registration number CG 07 LU 9886 and belonging to Taram, was recovered a short distance away from the tracks.

Girl Reported Missing Earlier

Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the two had been in a relationship for some time. Lileshwari had reportedly gone missing from her home on Tuesday evening. Concerned over her absence, her family members had approached the Daundi police station to file a missing person’s report.

While the police were initiating a search, the news of the bodies being discovered on the tracks reached the station. The families were subsequently informed and arrived at the site to identify the deceased.

Police Investigation Underway

Daundi Police Station In-charge, Uma Thakur, confirmed that a case has been registered and an investigation is currently active. "From the preliminary evidence at the site, it appears to be a case of suicide. However, we are not ruling out any possibilities and are investigating the matter from all angles," Thakur said.

The bodies have been shifted to the district hospital for a post-mortem examination. While the locals suspect the extreme step was taken due to personal or family issues regarding their relationship, the police stated that no suicide note has been recovered so far.

Gloom Descends on Kumhalori

The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community. In Kumhalori and Salhe, neighbors described the news as a sudden tragedy that has left two families devastated. Friends of Taram mentioned that there were no immediate signs of distress in his recent behavior, though he had been seen frequently with the girl over the past few months.

Next Steps in the Probe

Authorities are currently scanning call records of both the victims to establish a timeline of events leading up to the early morning hours of May 6. Statements from the family members are also being recorded to understand if there was any immediate provocation or pressure that led to the incident.

Railway operations on the Dalli Rajhara-Antagarh route were briefly affected as the site was cleared, but services resumed shortly after the bodies were moved for forensic analysis.