Crime against women on rise in trains

 Despite initiating steps to prevent crime in trains and stations, there has been an increase in cases of misconduct against women passengers.

As per data available with the Railways, a total of 712 cases including rape, murder, robbery and eve-teasing were reported against women and children in railway premises in 2011 as against 501 cases in the previous year.

There were 15 rape and 362 eve-teasing cases reported in 2011 as against 10 and 352 similar cases in 2010.

Incidentally, in order to check increasing incidents of crime, RPF and GRP personnel escort about 3,500 express and local trains.

"Currently all important trains including Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto are escorted by security men and steps are being taken to strengthen security at stations by implementing integrated security system," a senior Railway Ministry official said.
Railways is installing CCTV cameras at 202 stations as part of the integrated security system. There are about 8,000 railway stations in India.

"We are regularly reviewing the safety and security of the trains and adopting proactive measures to ensure safety of passengers," the official said.

He said anti-drugging squads are also functional.Railways maintain that policing on the rail network is a state subject and prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigations and maintenance of law and order in railway premises as well as on running trains are, therefore, the statutory responsibility of the state governments which they discharge through GRP.

"We maintain regular coordination with the state governments to ensure better security to the commuters as well as the Railways system.

"Regular co-ordination meetings are being held with GRP by General Managers of zonal railways, divisional railway managers and chief security commissioners of RPF to enhance security in passengers trains and in Railways," the official said.

Steps are being taken for integrating the RPF helpline with all-India passenger helplines to facilitate much faster response to security needs of passengers.