'Stoneman' returns on Western Railway after two years, cops worried
Ravi Shankar Datta is a 42-year-old unassuming man. He is neither a violent criminal nor steals from rail passengers. But Datta is a nightmare for the Railway Protection Force. In their records, he is possibly the most dangerous stone-pelter, who targets premium trains like the Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express.
Datta was arrested in 2011 following a series of stone-pelting incidents before being let off on bail. However, the Vangaon-resident left a team of RPF men exasperated when they nabbed him on February 23...
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in connection with a 'missile' attack on Rajdhani Express near Palghar a day earlier. For them, the 'stoneman' was back in action after two years.
Datta was at the centre of one of the biggest manhunts conducted by the RPF in November 2011 after stone attacks on Shatabdi and Rajdhani reached the railway board in Delhi. The then Western Railway general manager Mahesh Kumar was asked to monitor the situation.
A 72-member team under inspector-general Mahim Swami and RPF senior commandant Rajendra Rupnawar combed the tracks on the 250km stretch between Virar and Surat and arrested Datta in December 2011.
Datta's interrogation revealed that his acts were the result of a revenge attack. The man used to smuggle liquor on the Mumbai-Shatabdi Express. However, a train attendant ratted on him, leading to a crackdown and subsequent closure of his illicit business.
The police said Datta would attack the trains hoping that the stone would hit the attendant, said police. While his prime target was Shatabdi, he could not distinguish it from Rajdhani. So he attacked the other train too, they said.
In the present case, Datta threw stones at Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express passing Kelve Road and Palghar stations on February 22 around 6pm. The stones smashed two windows on A-2 and A-3 coaches. The Vasai railway court has remanded him in police custody till March 7.
Originally from Nagpur, Datta worked with a local private company. He settled at Vangaon near Dahanu after the firm shut down in 2003. Datta took to bootlegging, bringing alcohol from Daman at cheaper rate and selling it in Mumbai and Gujarat.
six incidents of stone pelting on running Shatabdi Express since
October 1 which resulted in broken window glass.
Date Stations Time of incident
Oct. 5, 2011 Sanjjan 8.20 am
Oct.13, 2011 Dahanu and Gholwad 8.00 am
Oct 15, 2011 Vangaon and Dahanu 7.55 am.
Oct. 17, 2011 Vangaon and Dahanu 7.55 am
Oct. 19, 2011 near Palghar 7.45 am
Oct. 20, 2011 near Balsad 6.40 pm
RAJDHANI EXPRESS:
OCT. 6, 2011 Near Vangaon
Nov. 29, 2011 Near Vangaon
Feb. 22, 2014 Kelve Road and Palghar
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