RPF busts inter-district liquor smuggling gang, four arrested

Patna/Buxar: The RPF and GRP have busted an inter-district liquor smuggling racket and arrested four accused, including a 20-year-old woman, in connection with the May 27 incident in which smugglers allegedly pulled the emergency chain of a moving train and fled after a scuffle with law enforcement personnel.The arrested have been identified as Jahana Khatoon alias Khushboo (20), a native of Vaishali district who was living in a rented house in Anisabad, Patna; Ankit Kumar of Jehanabad; Virendra Kumar Rai alias Lalu (47) of Saran; and Ranjan Sharma (50) of Nalanda. Police seized five mobile phones, one keypad phone, two motorcycles and 3.270 litres of illicit foreign liquor from their possession.Addressing reporters on Sunday, Railway DSP Kanchan Raj said the incident took place on Lokmanya Tilak-Bhagalpur Express, in the Buxar section. “After the train departed from Buxar, an RPF squad was carrying out checks for liquor smuggling. During the operation, a woman was apprehended, triggering a scuffle with her accomplices. The accused then pulled the emergency chain near Kushalpur halt and fled,” she said.According to the DSP, the Buxar prohibition team had received specific information that liquor smugglers were transporting consignments from Uttar Pradesh to Patna by train. As the train was passing between Dumraon and Kushalpur Harnaha Halt, the smugglers allegedly sensed the presence of police, stopped the train by pulling the chain and escaped after pushing and abusing personnel who chased them.A case was registered at the Buxar GRP police station against Khushboo and 14 unidentified persons on the complaint of prohibition separtment ASI Sanjeet Tiwari. Railway SP Anant Kumar Rai subsequently constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under DSP Raj’s leadership.The SIT conducted raids using technical surveillance and human intelligence. Jahana was arrested first and, during interrogation, allegedly she confessed to transporting liquor from Uttar Pradesh and supplying it across Bihar for several months. Investigations revealed she procured consignments and handed them to Ankit Kumar, who supplied smaller smugglers. Virendra and Ranjan allegedly purchased liquor from Ankit for further distribution.The DSP said the arrested smuggler Lalu has a prior excise case at Gardanibagh police station, while Ranjan has a similar case at Phulwarisharif police station. “Raids are ongoing to arrest other members of the gang. All four have been sent to judicial custody after interrogation,” Raj added. Police said the network had links to Dildarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, from where liquor was loaded onto trains and transported to different districts of Bihar.