A routine ticket inspection on the Kanyakumari-Dibrugarh Vivek Express turned into an important intervention after Travelling Ticket Inspector (TTI) Sanoop A.A. noticed two schoolgirls travelling without valid tickets and alerted railway authorities.
The incident took place on Train No. 22503, the Kanyakumari-Dibrugarh Vivek Express, while it was travelling through the Ernakulam-Thrissur section of Kerala. According to a report published by The New Indian Express on September 21, 2026, further checks established that the two girls had been reported missing.
The incident highlights how routine checks by railway staff can sometimes help identify situations requiring immediate attention.
How the TTI noticed the girls
According to the reported details, Sanoop A.A., who is part of a special team attached to the office of the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Thiruvananthapuram Division, was conducting ticket checks on the train.
After the train departed from Aluva station, he noticed two girls standing in the crowded general coach.
During the ticket inspection, the girls were unable to produce valid travel tickets. Instead of treating the matter only as a ticketing issue, Sanoop made further inquiries.
Their school identity cards provided an important clue. The documents indicated that one girl was a Plus-Two student while the other was studying in Class 9.
This additional information prompted the TTI to investigate the situation further.
Alert raised with railway authorities
After becoming suspicious that something might be wrong, Sanoop contacted the Divisional Commercial Control Centre.
The matter was then coordinated with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP).
According to the published report, subsequent checks found that a missing-person report had already been filed for two girls matching their descriptions. Police personnel were searching for them at the time.
The girls’ identities were subsequently verified against information provided by the RPF.
This sequence was important because the initial discovery was made during an ordinary ticket-checking process. The lack of valid tickets led to additional questions, and the school identification cards helped authorities establish more information about the passengers.
Girls handed over to RPF and GRP at Thrissur
Once the girls’ identities were verified, Sanoop continued to ensure their safety while the train travelled towards Thrissur.
When the Vivek Express reached Thrissur railway station, RPF and GRP personnel boarded the coach and took the two students into their care.
The authorities then began the required formal and legal procedures.
Importantly, available reports confirm that the girls were safely handed over to the railway police authorities. Reports do not provide the girls’ names or detailed circumstances surrounding their disappearance, so those details should not be assumed or published without official confirmation.
Why the incident is significant
The incident demonstrates the importance of vigilance during railway operations.
Ticket checking is generally associated with verifying passengers’ travel documents, but railway staff may also encounter situations involving lost children, missing persons, vulnerable passengers or other safety concerns.
In this case, the TTI’s decision to make additional inquiries after noticing the two students helped connect them with an existing missing-person investigation.
The case also shows the role of coordination between different railway authorities. The sequence involved the TTI, the Divisional Commercial Control Centre, RPF and GRP.
Rather than attempting to handle the situation independently, the TTI informed the appropriate authorities and continued to safeguard the girls until officials could take charge.
What happened step by step?
The reported sequence can be summarised as follows:
- Train No. 22503 was travelling from Kanyakumari towards Dibrugarh.
- During ticket checking after Aluva, TTI Sanoop A.A. noticed two girls in the general coach.
- The girls did not have valid travel tickets.
- Their school identity cards showed that they were students.
- One was identified as a Plus-Two student and the other as a Class 9 student.
- Sanoop alerted the Divisional Commercial Control Centre.
- RPF and GRP were contacted.
- Authorities confirmed that two girls matching their descriptions had been reported missing.
- Their identities were verified using information available with the authorities.
- The girls were kept safe until the train reached Thrissur.
- RPF and GRP took them into their care and began the required procedures.
No names or unnecessary personal details released
Because the incident involves school-going girls, publicly available reports have not provided unnecessary personal information about them.
That is particularly important in missing-person cases involving minors. Publishing names, photographs, school details, addresses or other identifying information without official authorization can create privacy and safety concerns.
For this reason, this report focuses on the verified sequence of events rather than attempting to identify the students.
A reminder about railway safety
The incident also serves as a reminder to families and young passengers about railway safety.
Children travelling by train should ideally have proper identification, emergency contact information and valid travel documents. Parents or guardians should also know the intended route and travel arrangements.
If a child goes missing, contacting the police and railway authorities as quickly as possible can be important because trains move across multiple stations and jurisdictions.
Passengers and railway employees who notice something unusual can also alert railway authorities instead of attempting to investigate a potentially sensitive situation themselves.
What we know so far
The key confirmed information is that two schoolgirls who had been reported missing were located aboard the Kanyakumari-Dibrugarh Vivek Express after TTI Sanoop A.A. noticed them during ticket checking. Railway authorities were alerted, their identities were verified, and RPF and GRP took them into their care at Thrissur.
A separate report published on September 22 also describes the same sequence, including the involvement of the RPF and GRP and the handover at Thrissur.
The available reports do not establish the girls’ reasons for travelling, how they came to be aboard the train, or other personal circumstances. Those details should therefore not be speculated about unless confirmed by the authorities.
Conclusion
What began as a routine ticket inspection on the Dibrugarh-bound Vivek Express became an important intervention. TTI Sanoop A.A.’s decision to look beyond the immediate ticket issue led to contact with railway authorities, who confirmed that the two students had been reported missing.
The girls were subsequently handed over safely to the RPF and GRP at Thrissur for further formalities.
The incident underlines the importance of alert railway staff, timely communication and coordination between railway and police authorities, particularly when vulnerable passengers are involved.