Jaipur: Inter-state liquor smugglers are increasingly using passenger, express and superfast trains passing through Rajasthan to move illegal consignments into Gujarat, prompting North Western Railway (NWR) to intensify surveillance on Gujarat-bound services, officials said.Repeated recoveries by Railway Protection Force (RPF) have revealed that smugglers are transporting liquor in trolley bags, unattended luggage and even by hiding it in train toilets, officials said.NWR has introduced special monitoring on trains headed to Gujarat, including services originating from NWR stations and those transiting Rajasthan, with additional RPF personnel deployed to track suspicious passengers.NWR officials said liquor worth more than Rs 25 lakh has been seized so far this year from Gujarat-bound trains, including 12 cases from the Ashram Express; six cases each from the Delhi–Sabarmati Rajdhani and Bhuj–Bareilly Yoga Express; three cases each from the Delhi–Rajkot and Delhi–Bandra Garib Rath; and two cases each from Jaipur–Coimbatore and Chandigarh–Ajmer Garib Rath.On Oct 26, RPF seized 97 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) valued at Rs 1.03 lakh from five bags kept under a seat in an AC First Class coach of Jodhpur–Hadapsar Superfast Express, officials said.In July 2026, RPF arrested a passenger on Delhi–Ahmedabad Ashram Express at Bandikui railway station in Dausa district and recovered 110 liquor bottles from five bags. The passenger was travelling from Delhi to Ahmedabad.In June 2026, Govt Railway Police (GRP) arrested a passenger on Bhagat Ki Kothi–Gandhidham Express at Luni railway station after recovering liquor bottles and pouches from a trolley bag placed beneath a seat.Officials said enforcement typically follows specific intelligence leads because comprehensive baggage checks are impractical. “In some recent cases, smugglers were found travelling in reserved coaches, including Second AC and even First AC. They use these coaches to avoid suspicion,” an officer said.NWR Chief Public Relations Officer Amit Sudarshan said checks were already in place but had been strengthened for trains linked to Gujarat routes. “Special RPF teams have been deployed to check trains and keep a close watch on suspicious passengers travelling to Gujarat from Haryana via Rajasthan,” Sudarshan said.Senior RPF officers said the pattern of recoveries points to organised networks shifting to rail to avoid highway enforcement. “This problem has been observed on trains originating from our jurisdiction as well as those passing through our stations en route to the neighbouring dry states, particularly Gujarat. We have now intensified surveillance following a series of liquor seizures, which indicate that smugglers are increasingly using the rail network to evade checks on highways,” a senior RPF officer said.GFX: Cases reported across Rajasthan in 2026Feb 23 (Raniwara): 100 liquor pouches seized from an abandoned trolley bag on Jaisalmer–Sabarmati Superfast ExpressMay 1 (Jaipur’s Gandhi Nagar station): 28 liquor bottles seized in a joint RPF–Excise operationJuly 22 (Jaipur Junction): 72 bottles of Haryana-brand liquor seizedJuly 26 (Bandikui): 110 bottles of English liquor recovered from five bags on Ashram Express; one arrestedSept 2 (Marwar Junction): 54 bottles of imported liquor seized from Bareilly ExpressOct 26 (Marwar Junction): 97 bottles (72.75 litres) worth ₹1.03 lakh recovered from Jodhpur–Hadapsar Superfast Express (20495); one arrestedOct 28 (Jaipur Junction): 36 bottles of IMFL seized from an AC coach of Rajdhani Express
