Around 7 special teams comprising Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and Tamil Nadu Police have been formed to investigate Tuesday's brazen train robbery.

Nearly Rs 6 crore belonging to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was stolen after robbers cut through the roof of a train coach in Tamil Nadu. The money was being transported from Salem to Chennai.

According to the police, approximately Rs 340 crore was being transported in 220 cartons kept in two compartments of the train.

The money stolen from the coach belongs to Indian Overseas Bank. From box number 20, a total of 80,000 Rs 500 notes were stolen surmounting to Rs 4 crore and from box number 16, a total of 35,000 Rs 500 notes were stolen which comes to Rs 1.75 crore.



FINGERPRINTS, BLOOD SAMPLE FOUND

The forensic department has recovered four pairs of fingerprints and a blood sample from the crime scene, said sources.

The train had stopped at Virudhachalam Junction for an hour for engine change. The train ran on a diesel engine from Salem to Virudhachalam and then the engine was changed to an electric one. Electric engine stretch is from Chennai to Virudhachalam.

Based on the cut on the top of the roof of the train, cops deduced that the robbers had a chance to enter the train when it was between Salem to Virudhachalam, as after that stretch there are high tension wires on the line carrying 25,000 volts and this would make it extremely difficult and risky to conduct such a heist, said sources.

INSIDER'S ROLE SUSPECTED

Investigators suspect the hand of an insider in the robbery as the robbers seem to have had precise knowledge about the design of the coach which helped them cut at a soft spot.

Also read:

Great train robbery: Hollywood-style heist on train carrying Rs 340 crore of RBI's cash

Robbers strike Delhi-bound train, loot passengers at gunpoint

100 passengers onboard Gujarat-bound train robbed in Uttar Pradesh

