Woman alleges gangman stole money from her purse, union stages rail roko

A gangman with the Central Railway was detained by the Government Railway Police (GRP) of Kalyan yesterday, after a woman claimed that he allegedly stole Rs 5,000 from her purse. The gangmen's union staged a rail roko near Kalyan railway station in protest. According to sources, the woman was travelling from Vitthalwadi towards Kalyan, when her belongings including her mobile phone and purse fell near the tracks. She then got off at Kalyan railway station and came near the spot, where some gangmen were working. "Gautam Kadam, a gangman who was working on the tracks returned her mobile phone. She claimed that she was also carrying a purse that had Rs 5,000 in it. She alleged that Kadam had robbed the cash. The gangmen tried to speak to her, but she approached the GRP in Kalyan and registered a case," said an official from Kalyan GRP.

Members of the Central Railway Majdoor Union then protested at platform number 5 of Kalyan railway station, and stopped trains from plying for almost half an hour. The GRP released Kadam, but the woman has registered a case against him. It has been registered under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code.

Sunil Bendade, assistant general secretary, Central Railway Majdoor Union said, "He was illegally detained. He found the mobile phone and kept it aside. When the woman approached him, he returned it. Then she claimed there was a purse with cash which he had not found. In the afternoon we came to know that he was detained by the police. So we protested. If this goes on then working as a line man on the track will be a difficult task."

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