Title - Lack of security on trains cause for concern

Tuesday’s incident in which a 19-year-old girl working in a garment factory was thrown out of a moving Yeshvantpur-Mysore train would have probably been avoided if security personnel had been posted on the train.The girl was kicked out of the train near Maddur by four youths as she protested a molestation attempt by them.RPF Divisional Security Commissioner P K Mohan Das said the train had no security personnel as it was a short-distance day train. Only night trains and those which travelled long distances were provided with security, he added. Mohan said security on trains was not a concern in this region as passengers were generally cultured. The issue of security on trains running between Naganahalli and Bangalore was being handled by the Bangalore Division, he added.Sources said the Railway PPF and the GRP would have not been able to avoid it even if it had taken place in Mysore Division as they were short-staffed. There were about 100 vacancies in the RPF out of 400 sanctioned posts in Mysore Division and the GRF had about 10 per cent posts lying vacant.The Mysore Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee has been demanding security on all trains for long. The first time that it raised the issue was after a series of chain snatching incidents reported in Bangalore Division.Committee member B S Chandrashekar said though Tuesday’s incident was an isolated one, issues like vendors quarrelling with passengers even on passenger trains were common.

Stating that crimes might be committed on any train, Chandrashekar said the railways gave priority only to night and long-distance trains.

Accused thrashed

More than 15 Hindu Jagarana Vedike activists thrash­ed four persons, who allegedly threw a garment worker out of a moving Yeshvantpur-Mysore train. The accused  were attacked at Mandya Railway Station while being taken to hospital for a medical check-up.

One of the activists stood in front of the police jeep in order to stop it from being driven away with the accused. The handful of police escorting the accused struggled for about 15 minutes before they finally managed to overpower the activist. An attempt to murder case has been filed against the accused.