Copycat train heist in two days: Woman loses jewellery worth Rs 30 lakh

Just like the previous incident, the thieves carried out the heist in a first-class AC compartment when the train was travelling from Ongole to Gudur in Andhra Pradesh between 1 am and 3 am on Monday, said the railway inspector at Chennai Central.

The victim, Komala, is a retired Kendriya Vidyalaya principal from Avadi, and had gone to Secunderabad with her husband Prabu Kumar to attend a wedding. The couple was returning to the city on Monday in Charminar Express. After the train crossed Ongole station, Komala woke up to check her luggage and found the jewellery missing.

The couple lodged a complaint with the railway police at Chennai Central railway immediately on arrival. A case was registered and forwarded to Ongole railway police as the theft took place in their jurisdiction.

The Andhra Police and the Ongole Railway police reached the city on Monday and inspected the express train. The Chennai railway police also collected the details of the passengers in the A2 coach where the heist took place. Further probe is under way.

On Sunday, Vijayalakshmi, a resident of Kodambakkam lost 35 sovereigns and Rs 65,000 in cash when she was returning to city with her husband Ramanathan after attending at a jewellery exhibition in Andhra Pradesh.

The theft took place in first-class AC compartment of Circar Express in which six police officers were travelling in civilian clothes.