Chandigarh, November 6
The Indian Railways has suspended four travel ticket examiners (TTEs) of the Madgaon-Nizamuddin Express (train number 2449) suspected to be involved in sexually harassing two British school girls on the night intervening November 2 and 3.

This was revealed today to The Tribune by Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northern Railways Davinder P.S. Sandhu from Delhi over the telephone.

Mr Sandhu said all the four persons on the duty that night had been placed under suspension and the Divisional Commercial Manager of the area had been asked to conduct an inquiry into the incident. The incident was reported by The Tribune from Chandigarh where the girls had reached as tourists on November 4.

Mr Sandhu said the Ministry had taken the matter very seriously and stringent action would be taken against those found guilty during the inquiry. He said departmental action would also follow later.

Mr Sandhu said the senior Railway officials today approached the British High Commission to find out if the girls have filed their complaints but nothing had yet reached the High Commission.

The Railway Ministry then contacted the Tribune correspondent to get the details about the incident. They also sought the copies of the written complaints given to the correspondent to proceed on the inquiry.

The girls, however, today told the correspondent that they had narrated their tale to The Tribune because they wanted female travellers to be on guard. The girls said they did not want any stringent action but only a warning to the TTEs who indulged in the disgraceful act.

The Tribune yesterday broke the story, saying that two British school girls were sexually harassed by two TTES between 10 pm and 6 am thrice on board the Madgoan-Nizamuddin train in bogey number S13. The girls were traveling on berths numbers 9 and 10.