Title - Call railway cops to fend off sexual offenders

Unruly elements troubling you on trains? Teaching them a lesson is just a phone call away.

In a bid to check the increasing harassment of women passengers on board trains, the Government Railway Police, Secunderabad, has stepped up its response mechanisms. A distress call is all it takes for the cops to swoop down on the perpetrators, officials promise.Police control room numbers have been prominently displayed on all coaches in trains passing through the Secunderabad station, among others.Mobile police outposts have also been established to ensure visible policing at railway stations. Posters on the repercussions of harassing women have also been put up at several stations in the twin cities, authorities say. Police records show that 11 cases pertaining to crime against women were registered in the 10 railway police stations under the Secunderabad GRP limits in 2012, as against eight cases in 2011.

While nine of the 11 cases were resolved, the rest are under investigation, police say. Three railway employees and a teacher were among those arrested by the railway police on charges of harassing women.

Police booked the accused under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC and arrested.

Officials say 26-year-old Vijay Kumar, an air-conditioner attendant on the Dakshin Express, was nabbed by the Macherial railway police at Ramagundam railway station for trying to outrage the modesty of a co-passenger while she was going to the washroom.

In another case, 36-year-old teacher Muthu Kumar of Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district, was caught at Khammam when tried to molest a 24-year-old passenger. The incident happened while the duo was travelling on the Grand Trunk Express from New Delhi to Chennai.

Steps to ensure safety

Secunderabad Railway Superintendent of Police M. Kantha Rao said several steps were being taken to ensure the safety of passengers, especially that of women. “Apart from arresting the accused, we are also taking measures to secure their conviction,” he adds.


Police say they are publicising control room phone numbers and increasing mobile outposts

Posters proclaiming repercussions of harassing women have also been put up at all stations