Passengers of Bengal train allege extortion by railway police

A few passengers of a superfast train plying from northern West Bengal's New Jalpaiguri on Sunday alleged that the police extorted money from them, while the police have arrested six passengers for misbehaviour. "Six passengers travelling in the Darjeeling Superfast Mail, coming down to Sealdah station from New Jalpaiguri, have been arrested on Saturday for misbehaving with the police," said Bhaskar Pradhan, an officer with Malda Government Railway Police (GRP).

Pradhan said the passengers thought the police officers were fake and a scuffle broke out. He also negated the allegations of extortion made by the passengers. However, some other passengers-cum-eye-witnesses, on reaching Sealdah station, revealed that the policemen manhandled the passengers and demanded money from them. They also clarified that the accused passengers did not consume alcohol for which they could be fined.

The policemen allegedly asked for around Rs 1,200 from the passengers. They hit the boys and also held some of them, including women, the passengers alleged.