Duronto Express robbery: Encroachments along tracks behind crimes in railways, say officials

The Railway Protection Force (RPF), which in charge of security inside trains, blamed encroachments on tracks for railway-related crimes in Delhi.

Encroachment along tracks is a major reason behind railway-related crimes in Delhi, railways and security officials have said.

Railway officers say the process to remove 75,000 encroachments on railway tracks is stuck in a legal battle. (HT File)

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data show that from 864 in 2009, the number of crimes at railway stations and tracks in Delhi increased to 4,368 in 2016. NCRB has not released its crime data after 2016.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF), which in charge of security inside trains, blamed encroachments on tracks for such crimes.

“As trains enter Delhi, because of encroachments, drivers have to slow down the trains. This gives miscreants a chance to board the bogies, rob or snatch valuables of passengers and then jump off slow-moving trains. In many cases, we have noticed the same modus operandi,” said a senior RPF officer who did not wish to be named.

Read | Robbers target two coaches of Jammu-Delhi Duronto Express in Delhi, loot cash, jewellery

Deputy commissioner of police (railways) Dinesh Gupta said, “Following a crackdown on criminal elements, we arrested 1,616 persons, including 96 foreigners. Baggage theft was a main area of focus and we installed additional CCTV cameras to get rid of dark zones,” the DCP said.

The Delhi railway police covers 45 railway stations in the city and secures at least 150 km of railway tracks with 486 personnel and seven police stations.

In March 2018, eight passengers of the Hazrat NizamuddinAmbala Cantt passenger train said their valuables were snatched near Pragati Maidan.

Almost a year ago, in June 2017, a 21-year-old woman was thrown off the moving Shan-ePunjab train by a robber who tried to snatch her mother’s belongings near Sabzi Mandi station. “In both the cases, the suspects managed to board the train because of encroachments on railway tracks,” the officer said.

Railway officers say the process to remove 75,000 encroachments on railway tracks is stuck in a legal battle.

Divisional railway manager, Delhi, RN Singh, said the railways identified more than 75,000 encroachments. And at least 25,000 of these are in the ‘safety zone,’ which is within 15 metres of either sides of a railway track.

“We started a campaign to get these encroachments removed but the residents got a stay from the court. We pleaded with the court to not allow the stay and allow us to at least remove encroachments within the safety zone. This is a matter of passenger safety and also for those who live dangerously near the railway lines. The matter is in the high court and we hope to get a nod,” Singh said.