Men tamper signal, halt express train and rob women of gold in Satara

What Happened

A gang of eight to ten men tampered with the railway signalling near Salpa station in Satara district at about 2.30 am on Sunday, stopping the Mumbai‑Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express. The gang entered coach S‑2, seized gold ornaments worth roughly ₹2 lakh from three women passengers, and fled. They also hurled stones at coaches S‑2, S‑3 and S‑4, causing panic among travellers.

Reaction

Police inspector Sitaram Phand of Miraj Railway Police Station said the suspects likely split into groups, with some positioned by the signal and others boarding the train. He confirmed a search operation is under way and several teams have been formed to track the culprits. Despite three Railway Protection Force personnel being on board, the thieves managed to halt the train, break into a coach and escape.

Context

Signal tampering is a serious breach of railway security and can endanger many passengers. The incident has raised questions about the adequacy of RPF deployment on long‑distance trains, especially in remote districts where such attacks are rare.