Railway engineer in Bihar sells steam engine at rly station, suspended: Official

An official in the East Central Railways said the engineer sold the old steam engine on the basis of a forged letter claimed to have been issued by divisional mechanical engineer (DME) in Bihar’s Samastipur.

PURNIA: A railway engineer of Samastipur Loco Diesel Shed allegedly sold off an abandoned steam engine lying at Purnia Court railway station in connivance with officials and security personnel, officials aware of the matter said.

A First Information Report was registered on a complaint by the Purnia court railway station given to the Banmankhi RPF post. The FIR names seven people including the engineer and a security official posted at loco diesel shed. (Photo: East central Railway)

A First Information Report was registered on a complaint by the Purnia court railway station given to the Banmankhi RPF post. The FIR names seven people including the engineer and a security official posted at loco diesel shed.

The railway protection force (RPF) has recovered one part of the engine from Purnia’s Gulabbagh area.

Divisional railway manager (DRM) Samastipur rail division Alok Agrawal, said engineer Rajiv Ranjan Jha, a security official and a helper have been placed under suspension. “We have ordered a probe,” the DRM said

An official in the East Central Railways said the engineer sold the old steam engine on the basis of a forged letter claimed to have been issued by Samastipur’s divisional mechanical engineer (DME).

Divisional security commissioner AK Lal said, “During preliminary investigation, the letter was found to be fake and the shed too denied issuance of such letter.”

Investigators are yet to arrest the man who bought the old engine as scrap.