Maligaon, January 7 (MExN): The Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) intercepted and recovered contraband worth about Rs 20 lakh during the period from November 25, 2019 to January 5, 2020.
As per a press release from Subhanan Chanda, Chief Public Relations Officer, contraband such as foreign made cigarette and cannabis and a rare species of tortoise were recovered during checking at stations and trains. One person involved in the illegal transportation of the tortoise was apprehended, the release said.
A team of RPF/Guwahati conducted checking at Guwahati Railway Station on November 27, 2019 and recovered 800 packets of foreign made cigarette worth about Rs 16 lakh. The recovered contrabands were handed over to Assistant Commissioner of Customs Division, Guwahati for further disposal.
In a separate operation on the same day, RPF team of Rangiya with CPDS team of Rangiya conducted drive in train no. 22411 DN (Arunachal Express) from Rangapara North to Rangiya and recovered 54 kg cannabis valued at Rs 2 lakh.
In another case on November 26, 2019, RPF team of Katihar conducted checking in train no. 55770 DN (Katihar–Malda Court passenger) between Kumedpur and Harishchandrapur Railway Station and apprehended one person with recovery of one rare species of tortoise weighing about 8 kg. The tortoise and the apprehended person were handed over to Forest Range Officer, Malda, West Bengal for further course of action.
On December 7, 2019, RPF of Agartala conducted checking in train no. 01665 Habibganj- Agartala Special at Agartala Railway Station and recovered 12 kgs cannabis worth about Rs. 72 thousand. On that day, RPF/Lumding conducted checking in train No. 22502 DN New Tinsukia- SBC Express at Lumding Railway Station and recovered 6 kgs cannabis worth about Rs. 36 thousand. Recovered contrabands were later handed over to Excise Department for further action.
On December 9, 2019, RPF personnel of Katihar jointly with officials of Excise Department, Katihar conducted a drive at Katihar Railway Station and recovered contraband liquor valued about Rs. 5100/-. It may be mentioned here that Katihar station is in Bihar which is a dry state.
Again, RPF personnel conducted checking at New Alipurduar Railway Station on January 2, 2020 and recovered 12 kgs cannabis worth about Rs. 72 thousand.
RPF of NFR also rescued as many as 72 minor children during the period from 25th November, 2019 to 5th January, 2020 from different stations and trains and handed over them to their respective guardians or NGOs.
