Breaking


Showing posts with label GRP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GRP. Show all posts

Thursday, 10 March 2016

17:15

GRP’s quick Railway Info via.SMS a hit with Commuters

GRP’s quick Railway Info via.SMS a hit with Commuters

Mumbai: One lakh commuters have subscribed to the Government Railway Police’s (GRP) text alert service ‘Sameep’ in order to get information on disruption in services, security issues and clarification on rumours while on the move.

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar had launched Sameep on January 13.

Commuters said that text alerts work for them as accessing the internet may not always be possible on a running train. The GRP plans to make an offer to WR and CR to send all passenger-related communication through the service.

“Our aim is to give authentic information as soon as possible and eliminate confusion or panic among commuters. When Whatsapp messages on ISIS terrorists landing at city railway stations did the rounds, we sent text alerts clarifying that it was a rumour,” said GRP commissioner Madhukar Pandey.

Extra locals announced on certain days such as to get to the Mumbai Marathon venue, or disruptions that last for over an hour and could snowball into a law-and-order problem are communicated. On February 22, a bag abandoned at Ghatkopar station at night made commuters edgy. Text alerts sent as a part of Sameep assured people that the bag only contained clothes.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

22:27

Railways to launch Special Safety App for Women Passengers

Railways to launch Special Safety App for Women Passengers

New Delhi: To curb crimes against women travellers, Railways today said an all-India mobile application service will be launched through which immediate help from the Railway Protection Force could be availed.

Female train commuters in distress can now seek immediate police assistance at the touch of a button — courtesy a mobile app launched recently by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. “Some zonal railways such as Western Railway have launched mobile application for providing security to women passengers besides installing CCTV in trains,” Railway Minister Suresh Prabhusaid at the RPF Investiture Parade ceremony in New Delhi.

The App, a security and safety measure, is being developed in coordination with RPF. Designed in-house by the Eastern Railway (ER), the App – Railway Mobile Instant Tracking Response and Assistance (R-MITRA) – immediately sends alerts to the nearest Railway Protection Force (RPF) inspector as well as the Divisional Security Control Room (DSCR) providing location as well as the identity of the victim.

Since railways is the soft target from unscrupulous elements and divisive forces, there will be a strategic cell for RPF to tackle the growing threat from such elements, a senior official said.

“As soon as a female commuter in any kind of distress presses the emergency button on the app, her identification and her location will be immediately sent to the nearest RPF inspector and the DSCR who can then immediately take adequate response,” ER general manager R.K. Gupta said.

“Since the commuter will be on the move, the app will alert the RPF personnel at the next two stations. Using GPS and GPRS, the location of the woman in distress can be tracked in real-time at the DSCR,” said Gupta.

The app can also be used to send photos of the assaulter as well as to communicate with the railway authorities through messages or call. It works both online and offline and is currently available for android users only — but the ER is working on extending the facility to iOS phones.

Available only for passengers of suburban trains services on Eastern Railway, the facility will be extended to other divisions as well as the South Eastern Railway, Gupta said.

Describing passengers safety as one of the biggest challenges of the railways, Prabhu said technology can help the national carrier in providing better security.

“Railways carry about 2.7 crore to three crore commuters daily and having adequate police-commuter ratio is not possible. Technology has a large part to play in bridging the gap and we are happy to have developed this app in such a short span of time,” said Prabhu.

“In order to assess the threat perception, RPF needs a strategic cell. We need a change in the system and for this adequate funds will be provided to RPF,” Prabhu said.

Focusing the need for technology upgradation, he said, “sometime there are attempts to obstruct the economic development by obstructing the rail movement. There is a requirement for technology upgradation and training of RPF personnel to prevent such incidents.”

Dwelling on the menace of without ticket travel in trains, Prabhu said, “there will be a massive drive against the without ticket travellers. A drive has already been launched against the touts involved in cornering tickets in illegal way.”

Stressing the need for coordination with the state police, Railway Minister said he has written letters to all Chief Ministers requesting cooperation from states on the subject.

“RPF along with GRP will also work to prevent theft in railways and there is a need for coordination with the state police to prevent theft in railways. I have written to all CMs for better coordination with the state police to check crime in trains effectively. There is a requirement of seamless policing for effective control of crime,” he said.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Tuesday, 15 September 2015

19:38

RTI Query reveals Spike in death from falling off trains

RTI Query reveals Spike in death from falling off trains

Mumbai: Even as railway officials claim to be operating maximum suburban trains to ease the hardships of daily commuters in Mumbai, the number of deaths and those injured after falling from trains has gone up in the last one decade, as per an RTI query.

A whopping 25,722 passengers fell from suburban trains (travelling on Western, Central and Harbour suburban services in Mumbai Commissionerate) in last 10 years, of whom 6,989 commuters died while 18,733 survived, said RTI activist Anis Khan quoting a reply received from Government Railway Police (GRP), Mumbai. Despite the authorities’ efforts to curb deaths on tracks, the city’s railway system continues to claim lives at a constant rate. As per data with the Government Railway Police (GRP), nine people have died on the railway tracks every day this year.

In 2005, a total of 494 commuters lost their lives after falling from running trains. This figure went up subsequently in the coming years and reached up to 901 in 2013, up 82 per cent as compared to the death toll in 2005, he said. However, 2014 saw a marginal decline with 797 deaths reported after falling from suburban trains, he said.

Kalyan, Kurla, Thane, Borivli, and Vasai are the railway stations, which have recorded the most fatalities near them. These people were found dead after falling from a train, committing suicide, or having been pushed by someone.

Mr Khan said the railway administration has “completely failed” to provide safe and comfortable journey to the people. “The basic reason why people are dying like animals is that railway officers have entirely failed to comprehend the hardships of the commuters…and the basic reason behind this (inability to comprehend the problems) is that officers never travel in local trains,” he said. Most of the passengers fall or slip from the running trains when they struggle to get into a coach and fail to enter it or get dashed against a pole near the railway tracks, he said. “Until and unless officers do not feel the pinch of travelling in overcrowded local trains, such deaths are not going to stop,” Mr Khan said.

As per the statistics provided under the RTI query, apart from 6,989 passengers who died after falling from trains, 22,289 passengers succumbed while crossing the tracks (trespassing). A railway officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “This is true that number of cases of falling of passengers has gone up, but it also includes those cases when many people lost their lives while performing stunts.” “But sensing the gravity of the cases, constant announcements are made not to board or alight from running trains,” he added.

Railway activist Sameer Zaveri, who was also a railway victim once, said overcrowding is the biggest problem at hand. “People buy tickets but still have to stand on footboards. There are no safety measures for them. Moreover the High Court has asked the railways to build fences near the tracks to prevent people from entering, but the railways don’t do anything,” he said.

Around 30 per cent of victims’ bodies have to be disposed of by the cops; the families approach much later or the bodies remain unclaimed,” said Rupali Ambure, deputy commissioner of police, GRP, Central Railway. She further added, “We have been creating awareness among commuters to not cross tracks, not travel on footboards, and to take precautions while travelling. We have also written to railways to close all unauthorised entry points that bring one to railway tracks,” said Ambure. 1,679 people were injured this year on the railway tracks.

Chennai groups drum home point to stop train hits in the City

Should you happen to come upon a band playing music at a railway station, don’t look around for cameras. A film crew hasn’t turned the station into a set: it’s a live show that the Government Railway Police hopes will create the awareness needed to put the brakes on train accidents.

Officers of the GRP hit upon the idea after a study they conducted on railway tracks in city and suburbs showed that at least 35 people died in such accidents on a single stretch, between Beach and Chengalpet, in a month.

Train hits accounted for many as 2,750 deaths across the state in a year. The study also helped the GRP officers identify 20 accident prone spots, including at Korukkupet, Perambur, Avadi, Ambattur and Mambalam, where the most deaths took place.

When distribution of fliers to spread awareness did not appear to have yielded any results, the officers tied up with bands who agreed to play small shows on railway platforms to draw train users together as groups.

“The bands penned songs that include safety tips and set them to some peppy music from popular film tracks to attract the attention of train passengers,” Egmore DSP V Ponramu said. “The lyric makes it clear that it is illegal to cross railway tracks by any means.”

The bands have pulled in crowds at Mambalam, Guindy, Egmore and Chennai Central, he said, with people taking a short break to hear them despite being in a hurry. “So I would think the message is getting across,” the DSP said.

The GRP have also identified places where commuters cross tracks and erected new walls to prevent them from doing so. “We have posted two policemen at each of these locations,” a senior GRP officer said. “They will work in two shifts of eight hours each .”

The efforts of the GRP officers seem to be paying off. Regular train users report that there has been a sharp decline in the number of people they see crossing railway tracks in the city.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, 9 August 2015

16:30

Helpline to Report Incidents of Crime in Trains

Helpline to Report Incidents of Crime in Trains 

A Helpline has been made functional through Security Control Rooms of Railway Protection force (RPF) to provide round the clock security related assistance to passenger during their journey over Railways. This Helpline is functioning through a three digit No. 182 (toll free) allotted by the Department of Telecommunications. 

Operationalisation of the Helpline has helped in reducing the reaction and response time in facilitating passenger security. It is pertinent to mention that prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigation in Railway premises as well as on running trains are the statutory responsibility of the States, which they discharge through the Government Railway Police (GRP). As such, complaints received through Security Helpline are forwarded to the GRP concerned for registration and investigation. 

At present, about 1300 trains are escorted by the RPF in addition to 2200 trains escorted by the GRPs of different States on an average daily. Some of the local trains which have been identified as prone to crime are escorted by GRP/RPF. Special women squads of RPF like ‘Sakthi Padai’, ‘Bhairvi’. ‘Shakti Mahila Teams’ have also been formed by zonal Railways for safety and security of women passengers in suburban sections. 

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinha in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha . 

 Source :PIBNEWS.

0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Tuesday, 28 July 2015

07:55

Suburban Train Services with enhanced passenger Amenities- Indian Railways

Suburban Train Services with enhanced passenger Amenities- Indian Railways

Measures taken by Indian Railways for improving passenger safety and passenger amenities in suburban trains are as follows:

·The suburban train coaches made in Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, have features of cushioned seats in First Class and Polycarbonate seats in Second Class for better aesthetics and passenger comfort. These coaches also have provision of forced air ventilation, passenger information and announcement system, stainless steel fixtures, Light Emitting Diode (LED) tube lights, etc. Other features for passenger safety include, stainless steel coach body, improved design rigid hand holds, slip free grab pole, etc. in the coaches.

·Facilitating passengers and reducing trespassing by building of more Foot Over Bridges, provision of escalators and lifts, blocking gaps in the boundary walls on either side, fencing of the area between two platforms so that the people are not tempted to jump from one platform to another by crossing tracks, Reducing gap between coaches and platforms.

·Stringent and regular inspection of all safety items are carried out during scheduled inspections as specified by Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO).

·In Western Railway suburban system Auxiliary Warning System is in place to prevent collision in case of Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD).

·Public awareness campaigns are organized by Railway Protection Force (RPF) to brief the public about the hazards of crossing tracks, roof top traveling and stunts.

·Policing on Railways is a State subject and prevention of crime, registration of cases and their investigation in railway premises as well as on running trains including in suburban train service across the country are the statutory responsibility of the State Governments, which they discharge through Government Railway Police (GRP) of the States concerned. However, Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of Government Railway Police by deploying its staff for escorting of important trains in affected areas and access control duties at important and sensitive stations

The following measures are being taken by the Railways to ensure safe and secure journey to the passengers including women passengers:

· Ladies special trains are being escorted by lady RPF staff, wherever available, in sub-urban sections.

· The ladies compartments in local trains are being escorted by RPF and GRP during peak /non-peak hours. Staff deployment is made during late night and early morning local trains to ensure proper security to the lady passengers.

· Shakti Mahila teams headed by Lady RPF officers and Nirbhaya Squad headed by GRP official have been formed over Central Railway to act against the offenders harassing women passengers.

·12 Mahila Vahinis (women RPF companies) have been sanctioned to strengthen security of women passengers in suburban section of metropolitan cities.

·Security Help-Line number 182 has become operational in Zonal Railways’ Control Rooms to enable passengers to seek security related assistance on real time basis.

·A daily average of 1300 trains is escorted by Railway Protection Force. In addition 2200 trains are escorted by Government Railway Police of different States.

·To empower the RPF to create a more effective security mechanism over Indian Railways, a proposal for amendment in the RPF Act has been moved by the Ministry of Railways with the approval of the Ministries of Law and Justice and Home Affairs.

·An Integrated Security System (ISS) including electronic surveillance through Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to enhance security over 202 sensitive and vulnerable railway stations is under implementation.

·RPF holds regular coordination meetings with State Police at all levels to ensure proper registration and investigation of crime by GRP.

·A Mobile App named “M-Indicator” has been launched by Railways in Mumbai Sub-urban section in the Month of January, 2015.

·Regular Drives against man entering coaches reserved for ladies by RPF under section 162 of the Railways Act.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinha in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha .

Source:PIBNEWS
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, 17 July 2015

10:06

RPF OF NORTHERN RAILWAY NAB CHAIN SNATCHER AT DELHI JUNCTION RAILWAY STATION ESCAPING FROM MANDORE EXPRESS

16-07-2015

RPF OF NORTHERN RAILWAY NAB CHAIN SNATCHER AT DELHI JUNCTION RAILWAY STATION ESCAPING FROM MANDORE EXPRESS

RPF OF NORTHERN RAILWAY NAB CHAIN SNATCHER AT DELHI JUNCTION RAILWAY STATION ESCAPING FROM MANDORE EXPRESS

Alertness and quick action enabled RPF on duty nab a snatcher trying to escape after snatching a gold chain from a lady passenger on board train no.12461 Delhi Jn.-Jodhpur Mandore Express before its scheduled departure at night hours from Platform No. 3 yesterday (15.07.2015). The accused Sharif Khan was trying to flee after snatching the chain of a lady passenger o­n board timing his escape as the train was slowly departing from the platform but was nabbed by RPF staff. The accused was handed over to GRP and a case has been lodged against him. The RPF Staff was rewarded. 
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, 15 July 2015

08:42

GRP personnel told to remain extra alert

GRP personnel told to remain extra alert

Srinagar: The Government Railway Police (GRP) officers in Jammu region were told to remain extra alert in areas close to the International Border by a senior police officer.

A statement issued by GRP said Inspector General of Police Railway J&K M Sulaiman Salaria reviewed security related meetings in Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu today and asked the officials to remain extra alert.

“The participants (officers) were instructed to remain extra alert in their area of responsibility and to keep an eagle eye at railway tracks, railway stations and in running trains located parallel and in close proximity to the International Border” the statement read.

“In view of previous infiltrations on the International Border, acts of sabotage and cross border terrorism at railway tracks, railway stations and running trains cannot be ruled out,” the statement said.

The statement further said that Salaria instructed the officials to deal politely with public especially with the Amarnath pilgrims and provide them necessary assistance and be firm with regard to their duties.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Sunday, 12 July 2015

13:58

“Improve amenities at railway station"

“Improve amenities at railway station"

Residents of Rajaji Nagar Welfare Association represented grievances concerning Villivakkam to Anupam Sharma, divisional railway manager, Southern Railway, and Seema Agarwal, IG, Government Railway Police, when they visited the Villivakkam railway station recently.

President Krishnan, vice-president P. Padmanaban, general secretary J. Manoharan, joint general secretary K.Sambasivam and co-ordinator J. Devarajulu attended the meeting. Station manager Mohanan was also present.

The issues that were raised include establishing a ‘bus bay’ at Villivakkam railway station, extending the foot-over bridge on both sides of the station, keeping the station premises free of stray cattle/dogs and improving other amenities at the station.

Residents also requested that a reservation counter be opened at the station.

A.V. Surendiran,

chairman,

Rajaji Nagar Welfare

Association

***

At Perambur railway station, we residents presented eight demands to the divisional railway manager Anupam Sharma. We have asked for a ticket counter to be opened at platform IV, which will help suburban train passengers. Provide stay facility for the licensee of the toilet, similar to the one provided outside Egmore railway station on the northern side between the church and the railway station.

To allow access from platform I to the new large parking place between the Rail Kalyanamandabam and the Vinayaka temple. The two-wheeler parking area can either be shifted or reduced in size to facilitate the widening of road which is a major bottleneck.

Providing hand railings on the lengthy ramps in the underground passage leading to the platforms would be of great help, especially for those carrying heavy loads, elders and the differently-abled.

We also request that all express trains should halt at Perambur for a minute to decongest Central Station. And, during rush hour, suburban trains should be run with 12 coaches.

B. Govindraj,

Perambur Neighbourhood

Development Forum

Source :The Hindu
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,
12:38

Now, passengers don’t have to break their journey to lodge FIR with the Police about theft on trains

Now, passengers don’t have to break their journey to lodge FIR with the Police about theft on trains

New Delhi: Now, passengers don’t have to break their journey in case of theft of luggage, robbery or dacoity in running trains to lodge an FIR with the police.

As per a directive issued by railways, travelers can approach rail staff available in the train—the conductor, coach attendant, train guards or police constable of GRP or RPF for registering the FIR. The concerned staff will then forward it to the nearest GRP police post which will keep the victim apprised of the action taken in her or his case through the aggrieved person’s mobile phone.

A senior railways official said that earlier a passenger had to break journey to lodge an FIR at the nearest GRP station in case of any untoward incident in the moving train, but now an FIR can be filed in the train itself by authorized train staff.

The national transporter has directed its onboard staff to make available FIR forms in English and Hindi in the trains for the aggrieved traveler.

In trains where RPF or GRP police personnel are not present, the coach conductor, train guard and coach attendant will help the victim fill the form and will submit it at the next GRP station. The forms will also be available with the station in-charge and GRP police in case of any incident on the platform.

It was noticed that despite several efforts to curb crimes in trains and rail premises, the number of cases of thefts of passengers’ belongings is constantly on the rise. As per railway data, there were 5,174 theft cases of passengers luggage in 2012, which rose to 6,258 in 2013 and the number increased further to 7,606 in 2014.

Maximum theft incidents occurred in West Central Railway zone with 1,754 cases followed by 1,281 cases in the Central Railway zone and 1,008 such cases in the South Central railway zone in 2014. Railways witnessed 235 cases of loot and robbery in 2014 as against 261 in 2013.

The drugging menace, however, is on the decline as 496 such cases were reported in 2012, which decreased to 352 in 2013 and 324 in 2014. Maximum 66 drugging cases were reported in the Eastern Railway zone in 2014.

At present, around 1,300 trains are escorted by RPF in addition to about 2,200 trains escorted by the GRP on a daily basis.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Thursday, 14 May 2015

08:54

Indian Railways to recruit 17,000 RPF constables for strengthening security

Indian Railways to recruit 17,000 RPF constables for strengthening security

Indian Railways on Tuesday said it is taking measures like recruitment of thousands of personnel, launching of a dedicated helpline and installation of CCTV cameras at major railway stations to meet the growing security demands posed by an ever-expanding network of trains.

Security onboard trains is jointly taken care of by the RPF, which is directly controlled by the Railways and the GRP which is under the control of respective state governments, Railway Board Chairman A K Mittal said.

The Railways also bear half of the expenses incurred by GRP in maintaining its operations, he said, adding, “We are going to recruit 17,000 constables in the next three months in order to strengthen the RPF”.

“We would welcome and support any proposals received from respective state governments for strengthening of GRP as well,” he told reporters here.

The Railway Board Chairman was here to conduct a “full (Railway) Board review” of the North Central Railway (NCR) headquartered in the city, North Eastern Railway (NER) headquartered at Gorakhpur and East Central Railway (ECR) which has its headquarters at Hajipur in Bihar.
“Our efforts aimed at ensuring better security arrangements are not limited to recruiting personnel. We are also making use of modern technology and connecting all major stations through an integrated security system.

An important part of this system is installation of CCTV cameras wherein footage can be stored for up to one month. This would be an effective detriment to crime at stations and may also be of immense help in investigation of offences, Mittal said.

Besides, a special helpline for security demands related to Railways has also been started. Any passenger can just dial 182 and his call would be connected to the RPF control room that may be closest to the spot where the train might be running at the time of an offence being committed.

“No unit in the Railways functions in isolation. To eradicate a problem in any particular zone, it often becomes imperative to involve other nearby zones also. Hence, we reviewed all the three zones together,” Mittal said.

“We observed that punctuality was the biggest issue at NCR where the traffic is nearly thrice of what is deemed to be normal. We do hope to bring about improvements in this direction especially since the last budget has allocated huge funds, about nearly three times the previous ones, for doubling of tracks,” the Railway Board Chairman said.

Source : The Financial Express.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Saturday, 9 May 2015

07:23

Mumbai: Cover signal poles with barbed wire, GRP tells railways

Mumbai: Cover signal poles with barbed wire, GRP tells railways 

The GRP wrote to the Railway authorities after identifying 95 poles on Central, Western and Harbour lines which have been used by thieves to climb and steal phones, handbags and other valuables from local train commuters travelling on the footboard 

In a bid to try and curb the increasing number of cases of thieves climbing signal poles and stealing from local train commuters, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has written to the Railway authorities, asking them to cover the poles with barbed wire and install lights around them.The GRP has identified 95 poles which the thieves used to perch on and steal cellphones, handbags and other valuables of commuters travelling on the footboard in local trains. “There are around 95 poles on the Central, Western and Harbour Lines from where thefts have taken place in the past,” said GRP Commissioner Madhukar Pandey.

The police said most such thefts take place near the Thane, Kalyan, CST, Bandra, Andheri, Vasai and Vashi station areas. The thieves perch on signal poles in the dark, ensuring that passengers can’t see them. If they see a passenger talking on the phone, they hit his or her hand with a stick, making the phone fall down.

In some cases, female commuters have fallen off and suffered severe injuries, and even died, when thieves tried to pull their bags. “We have written to the railways about the matter and are requesting them to put barbed wires on the identified signalling poles so that thieves are unable to climb them.

We have also asked for lights to be installed around the poles,” said Pandey. “If the areas around the poles are lit, passengers will be able to see the accused and be alert,” said another police officer.

0
By at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

07:16

WhatsApp helps Railway GRP identify Dacoit

WhatsApp helps Railway GRP identify Dacoit

Pune: The government railway police (GRP), Pune, used WhatsApp to establish the real identity of a dacoit arrested for attacking three policemen at the Malthan railway station near Daund on March 17.

Constables Swapnil Shinde had showed courage in nabbing the dacoit, who first identified himself as Babu Kale. His accomplices, about 7 to 8 in number, tried to help him but ran away after other constables, Yogesh Jagtap and Sanjay Pachpute, rushed to help Shinde. All three constables are undergoing treatment and their condition is improving. Shinde had received deep stab injuries.

A GRP official said on Monday, “The suspect first said his name is Babu Kale, but investigation proved that he was lying. He has also refused to give the names of his accomplices.”

The GRP then released the suspect’s photograph on a WhatsApp group of policemen belonging to different ranks. This helped them establish his identity as Eknath Pawar, a criminal on the records of GRP, Kurduwadi and Daund city, Walchandnagar and Baramati police stations.

The GRP have also identified the other dacoits. Pawar and others were involved in robbery, dacoity and Arms Act cases among others.

Pawar was produced in a magisterial court in Daund on Monday following the expiry of his police custody remand. The court rejected the police plea of extending his police custody remand. He was sent in magisterial custody.

The GRP arrested Pawar again on Monday in a chain-snatching case reported in the Mumbai-Solapur Express at Jinti station near Bhigwan on May 22 last year. Assistant inspector Vasant Shete and sub-inspector Nivrutti Lavade of the GRP, Daund, are investigating the case.

0
By at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

07:41

Security Tightened on Vijayawada-Gudur Section in View of Theft Incident in Charminar Express -Speedy Action to Nab the Culprits

No.847/2014-15
22-03-2015
Secunderabad

Security Tightened on Vijayawada-Gudur Section in View of Theft Incident in Charminar Express -Speedy Action to Nab the Culprits

An untoward incident of snatching of gold chains from different Sleeper Coaches of  Tr. No.12759 Chennai-Hyderabad Charminar Express occurred yesterday night i.e. 21st March, 2015 at 11:35 pm between Ammanabrolu and Uppugundur Railway Stations o­n Chirala-Ongole section of Vijayawada Division of South Central Railway. The incident happened when some miscreants resorted to Alarm Chain Pulling from inside the train, while other members of the gang snatched gold chains of the travelling passengers through the windows of the coaches from outside.

Six passengers of the train lodged complaints about loss of their valuables at Government Railway Police Station, Secunderabad. Cases were accordingly registered by the GRP and investigations are o­n to nab the culprits.

Immediately o­n receipt of information about the incident, the Asst. Security Commissioner, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Vijayawada rushed to the spot along with Inspector, RPF, Chirala, and o­ngole. Dy Superintendent of Railway Police, Nellore, along with Inspector, Government Railway Police(GRP), o­ngole and local police personnel also reached the spot.  Search operations were carried out by the police teams in the surrounding areas but no suspect was traced. All the local police stations alongside the railway route between o­ngole and Chirala were alerted to apprehend the criminals.

In view of the incident, security measures have been tightened in Vijayawada- Gudur section, with the RPF and GRP launching coordinated efforts towards the same. Additional numbers of police personnel are being deputed to escort more trains in the section. Police personnel are being stationed at wayside / vulnerable stations too as a part of the tightened security measures.The RPF has assured all cooperation to the GRP authorities and soughtspeedy action in the case to nab the miscreants. 
0
By at No comments:
Labels: ,

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

06:57

Mobile App help to send Alerts to Railway Police (GRP)


Mobile App help to send Alerts to Railway Police (GRP)

Bhubaneswar (BBS): After launching a toll-free number for passengers, the government railway police (GRP) is gearing up to start a mobile application to check crimes in trains. Passengers can lodge complaints and send alerts to police about crimes in moving trains using the proposed App.

“Some IT experts have demonstrated the App software designed by them. Since most people use smartphones, the proposed App can be beneficial for them,” said a GRP officer.

After downloading the application, a passenger can register the complaint in writing or by uploading pictures or audio or video files. “It is aimed to improve passenger security and reach out to them at the time of distress. We can easily know the location of the complainant,” the officer said.

The GPS-based (global positioning satellite tracking system) App will provide contact details of GRP personnel of the area through which the train is passing.

The railway police said they are in touch with their counterparts in other states to implement the App in such a way that passengers, travelling through those states, can use the technology. “Initially, we will use the App in Odisha where passengers can avail assistance of the GRP. Efforts are being made to take the help of some other states to integrate the proposed App with their police stations,” the officer said.

Last month, Madhya Pradesh launched a mobile App to curb crimes in trains and stations. It is the only state to do so.

On February 16, the Odisha GRP launched a helpline (1512) for passengers, facing harassment from anti-socials in running trains. On dialing 1,512, the number would automatically connect to the railway police station or outpost, in whose jurisdiction the passenger is travelling.

In the past one year, about 120 incidents of drug and loot were reported in GRP stations across the state, official sources said. At least 20 persons were rescued by railway police and commissionerate of police personnel in separate drug-and-loot incidents in the last six months.

GRP sources said they arrested nearly 15 anti-socials on charges of looting passengers after spiking their drinks in the past one year.

0
By at No comments:
Labels: ,

Sunday, 24 August 2014

20:03

Overnight illegal construction of Mazar (mausoleum) on Rly Land sparks tension in Varanasi

Overnight illegal construction of Mazar (mausoleum) on Rly Land sparks tension in Varanasi

Varanasi (BSB): Tension gripped Konia locality in Jaitpura area following a bid to construct a mazar (mausoleum or tomb) on railway land on Thursday. Konia locality has a mixed population of Muslims and Hindus and is located along the Varanasi-Chapra railway line. The Muslim dominated locality is located on one side of the tracks while Hindus on the other side. According to reports, a group of Muslims along with so called clerics cleaned approximately 1000 Sq.Ft area on the railway land on Wednesday during mid night.

By the wee hours of Thursday morning, they started constructing a mazar at the same site. However, people from other community reached the site and opposed the move.  The news of Hindus opposing the illegal construction of mazar gone viral and within few minutes, a large number of muslims gathered and started fighting with the other community, while a group of muslims started stone pelting from various corners.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: ,

Thursday, 14 August 2014

07:44

Need for Introduction of Federal Policing on Indian Railways – a Necessity

Need for Introduction of Federal Policing on Indian Railways – a Necessity

Demand increases for federal policing on railways as the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have always had an uneasy relationship, the major reason being that the powers of both overlap on various occasions, causing considerable heartburn not only among the two forces but to general public, and in extreme cases animosity. There have been instances of GRP filing cases against RPF officials

Is there the need for a federal railway police in the country? Experts on the subject and serving officers are beginning to feel so. And they have ample reasons too! Recently, there was a spate of robberies on Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani Express, Indian railways’ premier train. And there is a near total mistrust between railway police and railway protection force (RPF), especially on the dense Mumbai suburban sector. Aren’t these reasons enough?

The federal railway policing system operates in several countries, including Britain, which laid the foundations of the vast Indian railway network. And experts believe such a system would give the hapless passengers on the world’s fourth largest railway system, the required confidence on travelling safely.

Rajdhani muddle

The Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani passes through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and the national capital region of Delhi, all having their own railway police departments. The route traverses three railway zones, each with its own RPF unit. While three of these units, which operate under the same director-general, act as a fairly cohesive unit, the railway police set-ups are mostly separate entities with distinct chain of commands.

For a passenger therefore, filing a complaint could mean and criss-crossing several states and travelling several hundred kilometres.

Passenger’s plight

There were six thefts on Rajdhani Express over three days. As per the initial investigations, the robberies took place between Ratlam in MP and Kota in Rajasthan. However, by the time the passengers realised the theft had occurred the train was near Delhi and they had no option but to file a case with the New Delhi railway police. The procedure to transfer the cases to the state where the crime might have occurred is long enough for the case to lose its momentum.

Nidhi Agrwal, whose handbag was stolen on the Rajdhani last Saturday, said: “We don’t have any clue on the progress of our case. We filed a ‘Zero’ FIR with the New Delhi railway police and were told the case would be transferred to Kota railway police in Rajasthan. After that we have not heard from the police.”

Mistrusting Brothers-in-Khakhi

Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have always had an uneasy relationship, the major reason being that the powers of both overlap, causing considerable heartburn among the two forces and in extreme cases animosity. In Mumbai there have been instances of railway police filing case against RPF officials.

Another issue is that RPF, being a unit of the railway ministry, tends to get better infrastructure at railway stations, and railway police feel they get step-motherly treatment. The result is that railway police skip all meetings called by the general manager on issues of the railways, including passenger safety.

The commissioner of railway police, an IPS officer, reports to the state director-general of police and never attends meetings called by the general manager, an Indian Railway Service officer.

And RPF, which reports to railway bureaucracy, has often been accused of behaving like the compliant guards of the railway bureaucracy. The fact that the divisional railway manager writes the annual confidential reports of the RPF senior commandant (senior divisional security commissioner) curtails the independence of the RPF as a law-enforcing agency, said a wide array of RPF officers DNA spoke to.

“Making RPF the sole federal railway security agency will free us from the clutches of the railway bureaucracy and give teeth to safety and law enforcement on railways,” said a senior RPF officer.

The way forward

V Balachandran, former special secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, and retired officer of 1959 IPS batch, said: “It’s unfortunate that the safety of the passengers on Indian Railways is the responsibility of police forces of 29 different states. So very often, crime takes place in some state and as the train moves on the passenger has to file a case in some other state. Sometimes, the police in a particular state are reluctant to file an FIR of a crime committed in another state as transferring it involves formalities they want to avoid. If states agree, it will be possible to have a federal railway police. In fact, some time ago, the govt of India had circulated the draft of a bill to empower RPF as the federal railway police. States, however, opposed it. It is the way forward. Such a system exits in countries like Britain, China and Pakistan among others.
0
By at No comments:
Labels: ,

Tuesday, 5 August 2014

05:05

Awareness Programme on Safety Security Measures Held at Hyderabad (Nampally) Railway Station

Awareness Programme on Safety Security Measures Held at Hyderabad (Nampally) Railway Station

Live Demonstrations During Awareness Programme

          The Hyderabad City Police, Central Zone held an “Awareness Programme o­n Safety Security Measures” in association with the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) today i.e., 4th August, 2014 at Hyderabad (Nampally) Railway Station. The programme was meant to sensitize the frontline persons/stake holders such as Hawkers, Auto/Taxi Drivers, Railway Porters and Railway Staff o­n the need to be vigilant against any disruptive activities so as to ensure safety in Railway premises and mass contact areas.

Shri. V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone), Shri Chandrasekhar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, GRP, Secunderabadwere amongst the senior Police Officials present.

0
By at No comments:
Labels: , ,