Assam: Viral video exposes TTE taking illegal money at Lanka Railway Station

A CORRESPONDENT

KHERONI: A Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) was caught illegally collecting money from passengers for the Nagaland Express, which had arrived at Lanka railway station. The incident sparked outrage, with a video of the TTE, identified as Bhajan Malakar, collecting cash from passengers without issuing proper tickets going viral on social media.

According to reports, Bhajan Malakar, a TTE of Divisional Railway Manager’s Office, Lumding (DRM), under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), Maligaon, Guwahati, was seen writing passengers’ names on plain paper and collecting cash without providing valid tickets. This incident has raised concerns about ongoing issues of unauthorized money collection from passengers on passenger and long-distance trains in Assam.

A similar case occurred recently when Sumit Kumar Singh, a Deputy Chief Ticket Collector (Dy CTC), was suspended for illegally collecting money from passengers on the Jan Shatabdi Express train. Despite the suspension, Singh reportedly managed to rejoin the service, raising serious questions about the railway department’s oversight and accountability. Allegations suggest that high-ranking officials were influenced, allowing Singh to resume his duties without proper investigation.

Thursday’s incident at Lanka railway station mirrors these earlier concerns, highlighting a recurring issue of misconduct among railway staff. The viral video prompted calls for a thorough investigation and stricter measures to prevent such practices in the future.

Railway authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. Passengers and locals demanded transparency and accountability to restore trust in the railway system.

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