The number of minors vacated from compartments reserved for women commuters on Central Railway (CR) has increased five fold so far this year, compared to the last four months in 2013, with a special squad of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) vacating over 16, 000 minors, including victims of substance abuse. Four teams of five to six personnel, led by a woman officer, were set up in September 2013 after frequent attacks on women commuters were reported. Between September and December last year, 3,614 minors were vacated from compartments reserved for women. However, with a special focus on minors suffering from drug abuse or engaging in train surfing, between January and May 2014, the RPF has vacated 16, 729 children from women’s compartments. “We have sensitised our staff to maintain strict vigil and remove homeless children or those suffering from substance abuse from compartments reserved for women, besides unauthorised male commuters. The teams have also vacated children, who were found performing stunts inside the compartments,” said Alok Bohra, senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF, (Mumbai division) CR. According to RPF officers, most of the minors were found travelling or performing stunts in compartments reserved for women on trains running on Harbour Line. “The special team is also supplementing railway’s commercial staff by detaining unauthorised travellers, and the Government Railway Police by maintaining security inside trains,” said Bohra. The special squad works round-the-clock with two women personnel each travelling in compartments reserved for women at different hours to check unauthorised travellers. Besides removing minors, the special squad has registered 285 cases against unauthorised travellers between September and December 2013, and 245 cases between January and May 2014, helping the railways recover Rs 37.23 lakh as fine. priyal.dave@expressindia.com
