Siliguri (Assam): Passengers of a sleeper compartment of Kolkata-bound Kanchanjunga Express were looted of their valuables and cash by dacoits in Assam in the wee hours today (Dec 20, 2003), Government Railway Police (GRP) sources said.

Officer-in-Charge of New Jalpaiguri GRP, Rinchen Lama told reporters that five dacoits boarded the sleeper class compartment "S-4" immediately after the train left Kamakshya station and started looting valuables and money worth Rs 5lakh from the passengers and got down at Rangia.

A 48-hour bandh is underway in Assam and North Bengal following a call by United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) against whom flushing out operations are on in Bhutan.

The terrified passengers, who did not dare to resist the dacoits, who were equipped with firearms, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with the GRP in New Jalpaiguri this morning, Lama said.

The passengers also demonstrated at New Jalpaiguri Railway station against alleged insecurity in the train, Lama added.