Train traveller snores, passengers force him to stay awake

MUMBAI: A commuter on a long-distance train was given a "sound" punishment by a group of fellow passengers for snoring loudly and disturbing their sleep.

The bizarre incident took place last week in a 3rd AC coach of LTT-Darbhanga Pawan Express when passengers found the snoring of a fellow traveller so offending that they all decided not to let him sleep for certain hours so that they could catch up with their sleep.

As a punishment, the offending passenger, identified only as Ramchandra, was made to stay awake five to six hours by fellow travellers so that they could sleep. A heated argument over the issue also took place between the two sides.

Ganesh S Virha, Chief Ticket Inspector of the Jabalpur division of the West Central Railway, confirmed the incident.

Virha, who boarded the train in Jabalpur, said the snoring passenger, Ramchandra, did not feel offended by the "punishment" given to him by his co-travellers.

Hence, he did not file any complaint with the Government Railway Police (GRP), he said.

Giving details of the incident, Virha told PTI over phone, "I got to know about the commotion when I took charge of the coach at Jabalpur at around 5am (on Thursday last).

"The train was a bit late and when I entered the coach, passengers briefed me about the heated argument that took place during the night journey. Ramchandra said he was persuaded by fellow passengers not to sleep for some time."

Ramchandra initially resisted the idea but later agreed to their proposal, he said.

"I sought to know whether the passenger (Ramchandra) wanted to lodge a complaint with the GRP if he felt victimised or offended, but he replied in the negative."

"In such cases, we take the help of the RPF or the GRP, but thankfully here the matter as sorted out amicably. When I revisited the coach later I found all passengers (involved in the matter) had become friends," Virha said.

When contacted, a senior Central Railway official said snoring in trains is a very common problem and all zones regularly get complaint from passengers about it.