Ex-Water Vendor Nabbed for Posing as TTE, Dupes Train Passengers for ₹10K Daily

AGRA: A major railway fraud was uncovered on Saturday evening when a 40-year-old man impersonating a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) was arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Aligarh railway station. The accused, Devendra Kumar, hails from Saharanpur and was residing in Ghaziabad.

Impersonating as a TTE on Gomti Express

Kumar was caught red-handed while posing as a TTE on the Gomti Express, complete with the official black coat and trousers typically worn by railway ticket examiners. He had multiple train tickets in his possession and was actively ‘checking’ passengers at the time of his arrest.

Modus Operandi: Selling Pre-Purchased Tickets and Charging Penalties

According to officials, Kumar used to buy general coach tickets in bulk and board long-distance trains. He would target ticketless passengers, especially those who were less educated and from rural areas, and sell them these tickets under the pretense of an official inspection. He also reportedly charged fake penalties.

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Police say he earned ₹7,000 to ₹10,000 daily through this scam by posing as an official and exploiting unsuspecting travelers.

From Water Vendor to Fake Railway Official

During interrogation, Kumar revealed that he previously worked as a bottled water vendor on trains, particularly on routes between Haridwar and Bengaluru. However, after his contract ended about a year ago, he became unemployed and devised this con to make quick money.

GRP and RPF Joint Operation Leads to Arrest

Kumar had been under surveillance by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and GRP. His arrest came after he failed to produce any valid identification or documentation proving his employment with Indian Railways.

Sandeep Tomar, SHO of GRP, Aligarh, confirmed, “A case under BNS Sections 319-2 (impersonation) and 318-2 (cheating) has been registered. The accused was sent to jail on Sunday. Investigations are ongoing to determine the duration of the scam and whether others were involved.”