Warning: Drugging at Sasaram train station Bihar

Originally Posted by crvlvr

This is interesting.. Did anyone talk to the old man and ask him what he put in the Tea? Maost stall owners will not collude with the criminal types as they need permits to operate in the station. They will lose their permits if caught. But then this happenned in Bihar..

Originally Posted by Rachael

This is not meant to cause alarm about druggings. Rather, I would like to suggest caution to those who might be planning to travel to Sasaram in Bihar.

Main points:
1) I was drugged along with my sister and a male Nepali friend, through chai given to us from a tea stall on a platform at the train station in Sasaram, Bihar.
2) It happened late last year (so hope the delay in posting hasn't led to any other mishaps there).
3) I felt the effects very quickly after only a couple of sips - and the effect was strong. Although the onset was slower for the other two, we all felt very wired and restless - which was then compounded by fear of what might happen next - knowing that things might progress quickly and badly.
5) A big group of men were gathered around. When my friend left to tip out his drink, some of them started closing in saying "one kiss".
6) We all quickly made our way to the stationmaster's office, where we continued to feel anxious (one person was slightly hallucinating). Men from the 'gathering' kept peeping in to look on us. We stayed there until our delayed train came.
7) After about three or so hours the drug wore off.
8) The whole experience was very frightening.

Luckily, there was no terrible consequence at the time. Unfortunately, there was some lingering paranoia and anxiety when I consumed food and drinks in future, especially when I was travelling alone.

I've got no idea what drug was used. I am suprised by its effects and its use in a drugging - as we definitely didn't feel sleeply (although my friend felt sleepy after an hour or so). I'm not sure if the effect would have been different if we'd drank the whole cup of tea.

I'm not sure what the intention of the druggers were. At the time, I wasn't worried about losing our gear, although this might have been the plan. I was concerned about rape or worse.

The station master was quite unconcerned about the whole thing. He said we hadn't been drugged and first suggested a waiting room (where anyone could enter). I was assertive and in the end, he let us stay in a room attached to his office. I doubt police would have taken the event seriously. It took some time to get the train station police in Varanasi to take it seriously when we returned their a few days later.

Although the tea came from a stall on the station, it was offered to us and paid for by a 'soldier on leave from duties at the Pakistan-India border'. Tut, tut, bad case of judgement on my part. I had originally refused the offer of tea three times but the embarrassment of refusing 'hospitality' got awkward especially with a group of people around, and we succumbed to pressure, cautiously I might add. I watched the old man make the tea and pour it from the teapot. We took little sips. But... I made this decision in Bihar, a place that is notorious for such crimes...

The whole thing was rather grounding and humiliating. I had a lot of travel experience, on and off the beaten track, and judgement that had kept me in good stead in all sorts of situations.

And it is a shame because although it is important to be cautious, many of us have travelled in numerous places (e.g., Pakistan, Iran, India) enjoying and appreciating wonderful hospitality without any harm. It's a fine balance to keep safe and enjoy wonderful experiences that fear and caution obstruct. And it gets embarrassing turning down hospitality in genuine situations because of some risk. But then being drugged isn't any fun.

Other than being drugged, I found Sasaram to be a very interesting place. It attracts few tourists and so the people are friendly, kind, and curious. Most well know for its attractive mausoleums, it is also interesting in that it is a town in Bihar (population around 100 000), a state that faces many difficulties, including poverty - and a state that has an interesting history. Pungent charcoal smoke drifts in every direction as stalls cook breakfast or tea early on a white misty morning. It has incredibly cheap food with honest vendors, e.g., 3 breakfasts for a total of 8 rupees(!) - the excess money I gave was returned without hesitation.

Take care there though (and at other train stations and bus stands). There is a dishonest tea vendor and/or a network of people using the tea vendor. A newspaper reported several violent crimes that occurred whilst we were there. And a month or so later, there was a newspaper article about almost 50 skulls being found near a bridge by one of the mausoleums (probably quite unconnected to drugging travellers though).

Finally, to put the whole thing in perspective, it was the only 'bad' experience I've had during all my travels. Travelling is a wonderful experience...