Jharkhand writes to Rly on 'passengers' traveling in spl train, DRM says they are its staff

The Jharkhand government wrote to the railways over reports of some "passengers" travelling in a special train meant for transportation of medical supplies here for hospitals from West Bengal, but Ranchi Rail Division on Monday denied the charge and asserted that those onboard were its staff.

According to media reports about 30 passengers reached their destinations at different railway stations en route West Bengal to Ranchi on Friday, even as train services across the country remained suspended following the lockdown imposed to fight the spread of coronavirus.

The state Transport Department had sent a missive to the railways seeking clarification on the issue.

"Those onboard are our staff," Divisional Rail Manager of the Ranchi Rail Division Neeraj Ambast told PTI.

The DRM said that some people had come to unload medical equipment from the freight train before leaving by the same special train.

"Some persons had come to unload the medical equipment and returned, while others were our staff and crew," Ambast said, adding no passenger travelled by the special train.

He said they will reply to the state government accordingly.

Ranchi Rail division comes under South Eastern Railway zone whose headquarters is in Kolkata.