THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI Central Control Commission Chairman Pannyan Raveendran’s bag was snatched by a thief, but was later left in the bathroom as he found that his efforts went in vain.

The incident was around 12.30 am at Ottappalam. Pannyan was in a Second A/C coach from Shornur to Palakkad in the Mangalore-Chennai Egmore train. On reaching Ottappaalam, he kept his bag on the seat and went to the bathroom. When he came back, the bag was nowhere to be seen. He informed the Railway Police. Even after checking every nook and corner of the train, the bag couldn’t be found.

Now comes the twist. The thief ripped opened every section of the bag in the hope of finding money or other valuables. All he got was a sweaty shirt, undergarments, and a few papers. Cursing the owner, he threw the bag in the bathroom and left.

The police started searching bathrooms after Pannyan Raveendran told them that there was no money in the bag.

“The thief might not know me, that’s the reason for this mistake. He must be cursing me”, Pannyan said.

Pannyan shared a similar experience when he was pickpocketed by a thief in a Thalassery-Kannur bus. “On finding just Rs 2, the angered thief gave me Rs. 5 and bid me farewell”, Pannyan said.