I trust that this space is regularly accessed by the PRO of the Indian Railways. I wish to bring to their notice this disturbing development , increased during recent times. I also wish to warn the would be travellers to take adequate precautions.
The most widely abused date rape drugs in the world are
ativan(lorazepam)
nitravet(nitrazepam). These are odourless, tasteless and can be added to any drink, tea, coffee, coke, soft drinks, lassi etc. In U.S.A. flunitrazepam is used more often and now chloral hydrate (difficult to detect in urine). However, due to ease of availablity, Indians use only the 2 drugs listed above. A person loses sensorium within 15 minutes to 30 mins and has no recollection of the events of the next 6 to 12 hours, depending on the dosage.
In the past 1 month, 6 of my patients have been administered these drugs at the New Delhi, Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations. They have been befriended by some one at the station, and offered a drink, cold drink mostly. After 15 minutes, they have lost consciousness and then been looted of all their cash, watch, mobile, baggage. The lucky ones have awoken at the same spot after 12 hours but those who have been unlucky to start walking after a varied period of time, have been thought to drunk and either bashed up or taken to the police station.
However the honourable Railway minister may notice that very few police stations register their F.IR. as they feel it is the jurisdiction of the R.P.F.
Classically, the persons looted are migrant workers , going home after 6 to 9 months of working in the factories/export houses and going home with atleast 15 grand in cash . Mostly travellers to Jharkhand and Bihar are targetted.
Once they regained senses, they ring up their friends who brought them to me in varied states of dehydration. Gurgaon police say this has not happened in their jurisdiction.
*HISTORICAL FACTS
*The last time I was witness to large scale poisoning and looting was in 1989 to 1991 when posted at military hospital Ambala Cantt. At the time a large contingent of IPKF was posted in Sri Lanka. The jawans used to be given leave every 3 to 6 months. They used to be airlifted from Chennai to Delhi or Chandigarh , from where they used to catch trains to their destinations. Ambala being a large railway junction, they used to cross it in large numbers. They used to carry cash, VCRs, cameras, canteen items.Cash was a lot since they got leave advance and also some foreign allowance.
We got more than 40 soldiers in varying states of sensorium. The drugs were identified as ativan and nitravet . When combine with alcohol , their effects lasted upto 3 days as dosages given were very huge.
HOW THE PROBLEM WAS TACKLED
The only way we could tackle was through education. Military police and civil police could not keep vigil at all places. So we made frequent announcements on the public address sysems on stations and on radio programmes for faujis. At the unit level also soldiers were briefed by their commanders before proceeding on leave. Finally they were forced to carry bank drafts and not cash. It was 6 months before we got results.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
Now that you have more effective communication methods on stations, like televisions and better audio systems a sustained broadcasting effort must be taken by the railways to warn the public. other media can also be made use of.
Basically the message must be not to accept food/drinks from unknown persons, regardless of how well bred and trustworthy they may appear.
film footage of a few looted passengers can also be shown.
Cases must be registered and followed up with methodically. Exemplary and swift punishment must be meted out to the offenders.