Salem Division, Southern Railway, steps up vigil in trains with a view to check the crimes during summer rush

RPF and RPSF personnel carrying out a survey of a train

With a view to check the occurrence of various crimes in trains such as robbery, theft, drugging of passengers, Ministry of Railways is taking various steps, including carrying out awareness programs, stepping up vigil in trains, particularly during night hours, etc.,  As a part of these activities, Sri Hari Shankar Verma, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem, in consultation with Sri S.C. Parhi, Chief Security Commissioner, Southern Railway, has got additional strength of one company of Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) deployed for escorting trains vulnerable to such crimes. The company will be working under the control of Sri P. Raajmohan, Divisional Security Commissioner, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Salem Division.

About 90 RPSF personnel (including Officers) have now been  stationed at Podanur and Erode and are being deployed from 3 stations such as Salem, Erode and Coimbatore for train escorting duties, in about 31 night trains passing through Salem Division, in 3 sections viz. Jolarpet-Salem-Coimbatore, Erode-Karur and Salem-Namakkal-Karur Sections.  Of the three sections, Jolarpet-Salem section has been identified as crime prone section, because, 11 cases have been reported in this section out of the total 41 cases involving property worth of Rs 24,40,500/- till April 2016. So,  the escort personnel have been directed to clear unauthorized persons and other antisocial elements from trains, with a view to prevent crimes like chain snatching, theft of passengers’ belongings,  misbehavior with lady passengers and other crimes.

Apart from the RPSF & RPF personnel, the CPDS team (Crime Prevention and Detection Squad) of  RPF stationed at Salem, Erode and Coimbatore have also been deployed in the vulnerable trains during night hours and to have additional surveillance in the railway premises.  All out efforts are being taken by the RPSF and RPF team to prevent the crimes against the rail passengers by keeping watch over the activities of suspected and unauthorized persons and remove them from the trains to ensure the train passengers travel without fear. 

Sri. Hari Shankar Varma, DRM, Salem, requested the passengers to co-operate with Railway Administration, to eliminate crimes in trains,  by not wearing or carrying valuable ornaments during train journeys, and avoid travelling in doorways/windows during night journeys. He also stated that the passengers can contact the patrolling party or any RPF/RPSF/GRP personnel available in the train for any security related assistance. They can also call the toll-free Railway Security Help Line No.182 in case of any emergency such as thefts/crimes in trains and also on noticing any suspected persons in trains, round the clock, so that help will reach them instantly, he added.