Title - Women find trains unsafe

INDORE: Trains still remain an unsafe zone, as women commuters get jitters while travelling alone. TOI spoke to few women and found that most of them prefer a male company while travelling.For upper middle class travellers, flight seems to be the safest bet. "I opt for trains only when airline tickets are not available. If not plane, my parents accompany me while travelling in train for security reasons, " said Khushbu Dixit. Her father Jitendra H Dixit feels that there must be strict security in trains to keep a keen eye on the miscreants.23-year-old Pratibha Patidar, who regularly shuttles between Rau and Indore by metre gauge trains, said that she feels vulnerable while travelling in trains, and often becomes the target of lewd comments from anti-social elements. "Not only young men, but even elderly people tease girls, which is really disgusting," she added.Jyoti Taralkar, 49, travels often to Pune with her husband. She finds sleeping in trains unsafe. "Travel used to be more of a joy, but now, it has become a worry," she said, adding that even batting an eyelid while travelling is impossible for the fear of getting robbed.

Blood bank technician Akhilesh Joshi said, "I am scared to let my wife travel alone in train." Demanding tight security on trains, his wife Preeti said, "There should be female security guards on train to keep a check, as women shy away from complaining about any untoward action to a male officer."

GRP Indore in charge Dilip Gangrade said, "Data says that crimes against women in trains have declined. Women shy away from getting the complaints registered, which further embolden the miscreants." He added that mainly cases of robbery and theft on running trains are being reported.

GRP deputy superintendent Mankamna Prasad said that crime will never come down, as it is directly related to population growth but to keep a check on crime against women, GRP has appointed personnel in every coach and provided helpline numbers as well.