At Delhi’s railway stations, crimes increased by 59% in 2023 as compared to the previous year — with thefts making up a chunk of them. The Government Railway Police (GRP) recorded a total of 5,176 cases, according to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Of these, thefts accounted for 4,813 incidents. Delhi has seven GRP stations operating across the premises of 46 railway stations. The railway police stations are Anand Vihar, Hazrat Nizamuddin, New Delhi, Old Delhi, Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi Cantonment and Sabzi Mandi. The GRP is responsible for maintaining law and order, as well as detecting and preventing crime at these stations. Other cases included 24 of robbery, while three murders and three deaths due to negligence were reported from railway station premises in Delhi in 2023. According to data, a total of 2,332 cases were registered in 2021, which increased to 3,243 in 2022. Meanwhile, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), which is responsible for passenger safety and protection of railway property at stations, registered 14,467 cases of property theft and other related crimes at Delhi railway stations in 2023. The number of cases registered by the RPF in 2022 was 13,425, while in 2021, it stood at 8,692. In July this year, an interstate gang of bag lifters, which allegedly targeted passengers at railway stations, was busted by the GRP. The police arrested four men, recovering 12 stolen bags, mobile phones and cash. According to police, the gang would disguise themselves as cloth merchants and prey on heavy footfall trains to avoid raising suspicion. They would target passengers boarding and alighting trains, particularly at crowded stations, and quickly escape with unattended luggage.
