5-member panel formed to investigate shooting incident

A committee headed by Sanjay Sankrityayan has been given three weeks to investigate a shooting incident on a train and find solutions to prevent similar incidents. The committee will discuss working hours, use of weapons, and patrolling of trains.

Mumbai: A five-member committee headed by Sanjay Sankrityayan, additional director general, RPF, has been given a three-week deadline to investigate the shooting incident in Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express and chalk out solutions to prevent similar incidents in future. Senior rail officials are a part of the high-level committee, which had its first meeting in Churchgate on Tuesday.

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The subjects up for discussion in subsequent meetings will be: working hours, use of weapons and patrolling of trains. “The railway officials have to tread carefully to avoid any adverse repercussion on the working (system),” said a senior official on condition of anonymity. Discussions around work schedules are crucial as the force has 15-20% vacancies. So, the RPF posse that is part of the escort team also patrols the same set of trains for seven days at a stretch.

“They have to inspect the train, its passengers, look for criminal elements, if any, in two separate trains at night following which they are given a day off. Apart from this, in Mumbai, they also have to man local trains, detect crimes and perform other duties,” said another rail official.

Other officers on the committee are: PC Sinha, PCSC of WR, Ajoy Sadany, PCSC of CR, Narsingh, PCCM of NWR, Dr JP Rawat, PCMD of NCR, and Prabhat, PCPO of WCR.