Indian Railways urges passengers to stay vigilant while travelling amid rising 'anti-social incidents'

New Delhi: Indian Railways has urged passengers to remain alert and report any suspicious activity or individuals on trains and station premises, following recent incidents involving anti-social elements targeting the network.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, along with Ministers of State V Somanna and Ravneet Singh Bittu on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting with senior railway officials to review and bolster security measures across the system. 

The meeting emphasised intensified use of modern technology — including AI-based surveillance, drones, and expanded CCTV coverage — alongside strengthened intelligence gathering by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at the grassroots level, a statement said. 

Officials noted that initial probes into several recent incidents, including fire-related cases, point to the involvement of anti-social elements. In multiple instances, timely intervention by railway staff helped prevent major mishaps.

To enhance overall security, the Railways will focus on faster processing of intelligence inputs, improved field reporting systems, upgraded camera infrastructure, and stronger cyber security measures.

Better coordination between the RPF and Government Railway Police (GRP) was also prioritised for more effective ground-level security management. Passengers have been specifically requested to actively support these efforts. Any suspicious activity should be immediately reported to the Railway Security Helpline 139, the statement said.