Title - Fear stalks passengers on night trains

Two train dacoities in 48 hours have created fear in the minds of passengers travelling on trains at night. They demand that the railway authorities and the police provide more security for the trains.

There are nearly 150 trains operating from Pune railway station along with 42 local trains between Pune and Lonavla. Earlier, the train dacoities were taking place near Daund, but on Wednesday dacoits targeted Jodhpur-Pune Express between Lonavla and Chinchwad for the first time. Within 48 hours, the dacoits struck again by looting Goa-Nizamuddin Express near Satara. Both dacoities took place in the early hours when most of the passengers were sleeping.

Gulamali Bhaldar, executive president of Chinchwad Pravasi Sangh, said, “Travelling in Pune region was always a safe journey for passengers, but these two incidents of dacoities have given rise to fear among passengers. The Government Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force have been deployed at major stations, but there is no security at small stations, which the robbers choose to board the trains. The railway administration along with the railway police should provide additional security at night on trains as well as at small stations.”

Dnyaneshwar Shinde, a regular train passenger, said, “Dacoits are targeting trains at night, therefore there is fear of travelling at night. I feel that the railway police should provide security in general bogies where maximum dacoities have taken place.”

Harsha Shah, president of Pravasi Group, said, “The railway administration should install closed circuit television cameras at all stations to keep a watch on the passengers’ movement. The railways should provide more security at night as this is the time dacoits target the trains. However, so far we have not seen any decision taken by the administration for passengers’ safety.”