Railways issues guidelines for security of women, to keep database of offenders

The guidelines also said that abandoned structures in platforms/yards, abandoned quarters, buildings in isolated places which are unguarded/unattended should be demolished immediately

The railway ministry on Saturday issued guidelines for the security of women across trains and stations and asked the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to analyse the data of crimes against women over the last five years and create a database of such criminals operating on railway premises.

Representational image. (HT Archive)

It also directed RPF to ensure that the free WiFi available at stations is not used to download pornography, as part of the national transporter’s new guidelines to prevent such incidents.

“All the Post Commanders (PC) should get details of the incidents of crime against women including rape reported during last five years and should analyse data thoroughly. The reasons for such offences, gaps in security procedure, failures of security apparatus, modus operandi of criminals involved, vulnerable section of women, places, duration day, month and year, status of investigation/prosecution of past cases, arrest made, whereabouts of criminals and their associates etc. should be carefully examined in coordination with counterparts of Government Railway Police/Local Police, Station staff and NGOs,” the guidelines said.

The guidelines also said that abandoned structures in platforms/yards, abandoned quarters, buildings in isolated places which are unguarded/unattended should be demolished immediately. Till such time that they are demolished, they should be regularly checked as part of the duty staff’s beat, especially in the night or when the presence of people is minimal, they said.

The guidelines also directed officials to keep close lookout for the ladies coach and deploy escorts at platforms when a train is arriving or departing stations. They also suggested sensitising both staff and passengers.

“Railway is providing free internet services to the passengers. It should be ensured in coordination with the service providers that porn sites are not accessible through this service,” the order said.

Based on the data analysis, the guidelines said that an action plan for the short term and the long term must be readied.

While the short term plan should be implemented immediately and must include a keeping watch on suspects, regular visits to vulnerable spots by duty officers and staff during their rounds, the order said.

The long term plan should include improvement of basic infrastructure, placing of CCTV cameras on the premises and other aspects of security which may take reasonable time, “should be chased with concerned authorities on regular basis and till such time it is completed, focus should be kept on temporary minor works that can be effective in improving the situation, which may be worked out and got implemented with bare minimum expenditure or with available resources,” the guidelines stated.