RailEnquiry

If you think Bangalore city railway station is a secure place, what with CCTV cameras installed and men in khaki deputed there, you are wrong. Last week, two 22-inch LCD display units that had been put up at the station’s subway were stolen. There is no clue about the thieves.

Assistant marketing manager of the firm that is in charge of installing and maintaining the display units — on which trains’ arrival, departure and platform number is displayed — said that during routine check at 4.30 pm on July 30, both the units were at their place. He said that the routine check at 11 am the next day revealed that the display units (each costs Rs22,000) were missing. The matter was immediately reported to the police.

Senior police officers who came for the investigation said they could not understand how the display units could be stolen from the subway despite the presence of CCTV cameras and security personnel. Deputy superintendent of police, Mir Arif Ali, said the police went through the footage of the CCTV cameras, but it proved to be of little help. The display units were far from the cameras and the footage is not clear.

Sources in the police department said the railway station has been witnessing one too many incidents of theft, robbery and other anti-social activities. Recently, a passenger who had alighted from a train was accosted by a group of eunuchs, who roughed him up when he refused to give them alms. This incident took place at the station’s exit point, where heavy security has been deployed since last month’s incident in which a group of ruffians had kicked a woman out of a Mysore-bound train.

After the incident, which had created much hue and cry, the police have tightened security in and around railway stations.

Nevertheless, incidents of theft and mugging are taking place unabated, police sources said.