Shashank S
Dhanbad ( Jharkhand) : After report of three Jharkhand labourers returning from Punjab with their hard earned money being ‘drugged and looted’ on Dhanbad railway route on Grand chord section in last 24 hours, Railway Protection Force (RPF) have pressed alarm button to ensure security to passengers especially those in general coaches.
With new Vinod Kumar taking over new RPF commandant from A N Jha, he has directed his men to go all out to bust the gang involved in robbing the passengers after drugging them. In view of the marriage season, which started in third week of April and continue till first week of July, and the start of summer holidays in schools of Mumbai and Gujarat (followed by other states in coming days), there is heavy rush of passengers in almost all the trains passing through Dhanbad railway division.
Dhanbad Railway Protection Force (RPF) has initiated several foolproof measures to provide security to passengers which includes round the clock patrolling, videography of general compartment and cultivating of intelligence network on major railway stations.
Apart from arresting three criminals for drugging and robbing passengers of their belongings from Dhanbad railway station on May 5, 2017, night, along with drug laced biscuits and sleeping tablets, RPF men can be seen with walkie talkie in their hands addressing passengers especially those seated in general compartments asking them not to take any eatables from unknown persons despite their repeated pleas including ‘Prasad’ of religious places.
“Cops have been directed to keep a close watch on criminals who in garb of passengers cultivate contacts with passengers and loot their belongings or escape with their belongings when they are sleeping,” informed Dhanbad RPF commandant.
That apart, the RPF personnel are even going for regular videography and photography of passengers and at times even sniffer dogs are pressed into service just to tell them that RPF men were there for their security. Dhanbad RPF) commandant has directed his juniors to remain alert to nab anti-social elements for which he has cultivated intelligence network on station premises in form of coolies, stall vendors, auto and taxi drivers.
“The coolies, taxi drivers who park their vehicles on station premise, and food stall owners on different station give us information about suspicious looking persons wandering on railway platforms without luggage or sleeping on benches posing like bonafide passengers and escape with luggage of passengers once they sleep,” stated RPF inspector B N Mishra.
The new RPF Commandant stated that he and his men keep close watch especially on those trains heading or coming from Howrah, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi on which business community members and shop -keepers travel carrying cash and precious items.