Union Tribal Affairs minister Jual Oram reportedly went missing from his train, and was found with minor injuries in another train at the Sihora railway station near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, three hours after the railway authorities launched a frantic search for him.

According to sources, the minister had boarded the Gondwana Express train from Hazrat Nizamuddin to go to Jabalpur on Saturday night.

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However, he was found missing from his berth at the Damoh railway station at around 3.45 AM on Sunday, after which the railway authorities, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the state’s Government Railway Police (GRP) launched a frantic search for him.

After about three hours, the RPF located the minister sitting inside the Sampark Kranti Express train at the Sihora railway station near Jabalpur, about 160 km away from Damoh, at around 7 AM on Sunday.

The minister had some scratches and bruises on his hands and legs. He was immediately provided security and taken to Jabalpur, where he was provided treatment at the Jabalpur Medical College Hospital.

Sources said that the minister had got down from the Gondwana Express for some reason at the Damoh railway station, but there he probably suffered low sugar and got late in re-boarding the train. The train started moving from the platform, and possibly in an attempt to run and catch it, the minister slipped and fell on the platform, which caused him minor injuries.

He subsequently boarded the Sampark Kranti train, which had arrived at the other platform at that time.

The incident came to light today.

Some reports quoted Railways Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) Dr Madhur Verma saying that the minister was found missing from his berth at the Damoh railway station.

Jabalpur Government Railway Police (GRP) Inspector Sanjay Mishra said that the minister was found at the Sihora railway station, and he had some minor injuries on his hands and legs.

Jual Oram is a senior leader of the BJP. He is a member of the Lok Sabha, and represents the Sundargarh constituency of Odisha.