Robbers Target Rayalaseema Express In Andhra Pradesh, Flee With Gold & Valuables During Night Halt

A group of unidentified thieves looted multiple passengers aboard the Rayalaseema Express while it was halted at Gooty railway station in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district early Monday morning. The incident took place around 1:30 AM, when the train—operating as Train No. 12794 from Nizamabad to Tirupati—stopped on the outskirts of Gooty to allow the Amaravati Express to pass.

Taking advantage of the unscheduled halt, around five miscreants boarded the sleeper coaches and carried out a swift and coordinated robbery.

20 Tolas Of Gold Missing

According to passenger accounts and initial police reports, the robbers stormed into at least 10 coaches, threatening travellers and forcibly taking gold jewelry, cash, and other valuables. Victims said they were too terrified to resist as the thieves moved from one compartment to another.

When the train reached Tirupati in the morning, over 20 passengers lodged complaints with the Tirupati Railway Police, reporting stolen items including approximately 20 tolas of gold. An investigation has been launched, and authorities are examining CCTV footage, gathering eyewitness testimonies, and tracing possible leads.

A senior railway police official confirmed a case has been registered. 

This incident is part of a troubling pattern of night-time train robberies reported across Andhra Pradesh in recent months. Thieves often strike when trains are halted at crossings or sidings during night hours, and there have even been cases where they tampered with railway signals to stop trains deliberately, as per a report on IANS. A similar incident was also reported in Chandigarh-Madurai Express on April 2. Following this, the Railway police suspect the role of robbery gangs from Bihar or Chennai in the series of train theft. 

The latest robbery has raised serious concerns about passenger safety. Many travellers are now urging railway authorities to deploy additional security personnel, especially on long-distance night trains. 

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