TTE dies after assault by passengers

HYDERABAD: In a shocking incident, a 50-year-old travelling ticket examiner (TTE), died after he was allegedly assaulted by the passengers of Chennai-Shirdi Express at Mantralayam Road railway station in the small hours of Thursday.

According to some passengers travelling in the train, the victim Sanjeev Rao boarded the train at Dharmavaram and started checking the tickets in the sleeper coach. As he was in plain clothes, the passengers suspected his credentials and allegedly manhandled him.

Sanjeev Rao, who suffered some body blows from the passengers, somehow managed to convince them that he was not a thief but the TTE. When he entered the AC coach and checking the tickets, passengers complained to him about lack of water in the compartment.

He explained to them that Guntakal was not a nominated water re-filling station for the train and it could be done at Mantralayam Road station.At Mantralayam Road, Rao got down from the train and went to the station master's room.

Meanwhile some passengers, who had manhandled him in the sleeper class and those who got into an argument with him in the AC compartment also went to the station master and complained against him. An argument ensued and the passengers reportedly pushed him.

The TTE, who was reportedly suffering from low blood pressure, collapsed and died on the spot. Government Railway Police at the station shifted the body to Adoni Government Hospital and Adoni police registered a case.

Guntakal Railway DSP Sudarshan rushed to the spot on getting the information.

According to him, initially five passengers were taken into custody for questioning and a case was registered against two persons Vamsikrishna of Bangalore and Amaresh of Chennai, who allegedly manhandled the TTE.

He said the exact cause of the death can be ascertained only after the post-mortem report comes.

Meanwhile, in a press release, the South Central Railway said that passengers had an argument with the TTE over non-availability of water in the AC compartment of the train and complaints were lodged with Mantralayam railway station manager Victor.

The release said that the TTE, who had explained to the station master that Guntakal railway station was not the designated water re-filling station, while sitting on chair in the station master's room, suddenly collapsed. Doctors were called in, who declared him dead.