TTE returns handbag with valuables worth `50K to owner

Vijayawada: Railway ticket checking staff handed over a leftover handbag containing gold ornaments worth Rs 50,000, a cell phone and Rs 2,000 in cash to its rightful owner.

On Saturday, at around 6pm, Lakshmi, a resident of Markapuram, in her journey from Vijayawada to Markapuram, bought ticket in east booking office- II and sat for some time in east entrance – II concourse. As the train to Guntur was announced, she rushed to platform No 4 to board the train to Guntur, from there to board another train to Markapuram. In a hurry, she forgot and left her handbag on the seat in the concourse.

G Ch Kondaiah, ticket examiner, who was on duty at the east entrance gate was informed by alert passengers that a bag was lying in a suspicious manner. Without any delay, Kondaiah informed the matter to M Venkat Rao, Chief Ticket Inspector, Vijayawada.

Venkat Rao took the bag and found gold ornaments worth Rs 50,000 and Rs 2,000 in cash. He also found phone number of the bag owner and informed the matter to the passenger through his personal phone. The owner of the handbag was on her way to Guntur in train No 57298 Narsapur -Guntur Passenger, got down at Krishna Canal Junction and rushed back to Vijayawada Railway Station along with her family.

Venkat Rao handed over the handbag to Lakshmi after verifying her true identity. She checked her bag and found all the things to be safe. She expressed her gratitude and appreciated good work done by ticket checking staff. R Dhananjayulu, Divisional Railway Manager applauded the true spirit and integrity of ticket checking staff.