Railway authorities, especially the RPF, have been holding drives to catch offenders and take strict action against them
The cases of crime on the Western Railway have increased and so, authorities have ensured that prosecution has also increased by almost 50 per cent. Railway authorities have been working hard and holding drives against passengers violating the rules of travelling on the railway since years, but this time, they have done it strictly, and the results are increased numbers of prosecution, as compared to last year.
Prosecution has increased in some crimes like unauthorised hawking, trespassing, travelling in coaches for the handicapped etc. File pic for representation
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Prosecution has increased in crimes like unauthorised hawking, trespassing, travelling in coaches for the handicapped etc. It has increased by about 48 per cent in 2015, as compared to cases in 2014. In the year 2014, the total number of cases prosecuted were 7,856, which has increased to 11,635 in the year 2015 and a total of 25 people were sent to jail. “This time we were very strict in our drives and made sure that no one was let off with just a warning, if he had committed the offence under the Railway Act. We also tried putting such offenders in jail, so next time they will think before committing the crime,” said an RPF official from WR.
People caught for offences like creating nuisance etc on the railway premises have also been prosecuted and sent to jail. The term nuisance means indecency, or creation of disturbance in the state of drunkenness, or use of abusive and obscene language against another passenger. Number of cases against the offenders were 6,100 in 2014 and they increased to 8,370 in the year 2015. The prosecution increased by 37 per cent.
The RPF staff has also raided ladies coaches where men have the habit of travelling illegally. Sushma Nair, a regular passenger from Nallasopara said that though the timings are clearly written on the coaches, few men enter the compartment 10-15 minutes before. “When we tell them about the timings, they just say, by the next station this coach will be general. We are left with no option but to sit quietly or call the helpline numbers. Such people should be punished,” said Nair. Such cases numbered 10,928 in the year 2014 and have decreased to 10,332 in the year 2015. Moreover, the menace has reduced by 5 per cent.
Compared to 2014, the number of cases of robbery, dacoity, crimes against women, is more. Only nine cases were detected in 2014 but they increased to 77 in the year 2015 and 98 persons were jailed that year.
According to the RPF staff, every year they conduct drives to decrease railway crimes but the offenders have many ways to flee. “We have deployed extra staff for conducting the drives, and also made special teams for the same, which include both male and female staff of RPF,” said the official.
Official speak
Anand Kumar Jha, senior divisional security commissioner (WR), RPF, said, “We have deployed new recruits in areas of passenger concern and the results are for everyone to see.”
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