Four Kerala nuns heckled in UP train: No case of human trafficking found, says Railways

New Delhi, Mar 25: Amid a political furore over two nuns being deboarded over suspicion of human trafficking on March 19, the Railways on Wednesday said that they were released after a probe found no basis made in a complaint against them.

The two nuns and two postulants were taken off an express train and detained for questioning by the railway police in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi on March 19.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) had expressed concern over the matter. "On March 19, we received a complaint on our helpline from a passenger of Utkal Express against two nuns travelling with two young girls in the same coach.

Later, a written complaint was also received. After the probe, we found that there was no case of human trafficking or anything else. They were released and sent back to destination," a railways spokesperson said.

Detailing the sequence of events, an official said that on March 19, around 7:45 pm an information was received that two nuns were taking two girls in a suspected case of human trafficking by Utkal Express. On receipt of this information, GRP and RPF Jhansi jointly attended the train at 7:52 pm.

In the train, two women passengers were found in the company of two girls and to enquire into the matter, all the four were deboared and brought to the Government Railway Police station Jhansi for further verification as the stoppage time was less.

The matter was verified by GRP and found that allegations contained in the complaint to be untrue and they were allowed to leave, the official said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday assured strong action against those who allegedly harassed the nuns belonging to a Kerala-based congregation during their train journey via Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.

Noting that Uttar Pradesh was ruled by the BJP government, Shah, while addressing a poll rally here, said, "I want to assure the people of Kerala that the culprits behind this incident will be brought to justice at the earliest."

The issue was raised before Shah by party's Kanjirappally assembly candidate for April 6 polls, K J Alphonse, who is his former ministerial colleague in the Union Cabinet.