Mumbai: Check railway commuters' bags only in presence of senior cop, says GRP top cop

Having warned the AntiTerrorism Squad and top police officials of a possible 2611like attack on Mumbai in the next twothree months GRP Commissioner Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal sent a letter to his own men soon after asking them to stop checking the bags of railway commuters to prevent their harassmentA policeman at CST Following the attack warning security has been beefed up at stations PicDatta Kumbharmidday had reported yesterday about the letter Commissioner Singal had sent to the police officials warning of a possible LeT attack and on April 9 about the Railway Protection Force RPF installing more than 1000 CCTV cameras near baggage scanners at stations where GRP officials allegedly harass commuters and ask them for bribesmiddayrsquos reports yesterdayBaggage checks usually take place at terminuses where longdistance trains arrive and depart from In the letter sent to GRP officials copy with midday in the first week of April Dr Singal said the decision to stop baggage checks was taken because he had received several complaints of constables harassing commuters on the pretext of checking their bags and also of some of them taking money and valuables from the luggagemiddayrsquos reports yesterday and on April 9The order states that bags can now be checked only in front of an officer of the inspector level or higher or at railway police stations in front of the station house officer While officials have lauded the move because it will prevent commuters from being harassed they have questioned its timing given the threat that the city is reportedly facingChecksAfter the 2611 attacks GRP officials were deployed at every railway station at the exit points or at rail over bridges ROBs They would conduct random checks of commutersrsquo luggage and note down their name address and mobile phone numbersThey would especially stop people carrying large bags and allegedly take money and valuables from them The commissionerrsquos order states ldquoFor serious security reasons officials were asked to keep a tab on and check bags of railway commuters but the police officials are neglecting their dutiesIn the name of checking they keep commuters waiting for a long time Some officials even fool commuters and take away money or important valuables from the bag The department has received complaints about the same Therefore no bag checking will be done of railway commuters henceforthrdquoldquoIf the officials at railway stations suspect something amiss with the baggage of a particular commuter the checking can be done by calling an inspectorlevel officer or the commuter can be taken to a railway police station and the checking can be done in front of station house officer Officials can also take the help of RPF inspectors for checkingrdquo it addsBold decisionA senior railway officer said ldquoNow no one will conduct bag checks even if they suspect something because it has become a very lengthy process No one will invest that much time The commissioner has taken a very good decision but possibly at the cost of security It is a bold decision by him to stop corruption and harassment by officialsrdquo