In a press release published on Wednesday, the Railways said that in 2022, more than 1,500 cases of stone pelting on running trains were reported across the country. Over 400 people were arrested for the crime.
Vande Bharat trains also targeted
Vande Bharat trains have also been damaged due to stone pelting, most recently in West Bengal. Soon after its launch, the New Jalpaiguri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express became a victim of stone pelting.
Earlier this month, stones were pelted at the coaches of Vande Bharat train at Visakhapatnam railway station in Kancharapalem area. Many glasses of the train were broken.
“During the year 1,503 cases of stone pelting on moving trains were registered by RPF and 488 persons were arrested. Several awareness campaigns are being conducted by RPF using various mediums to educate the residents near railway tracks. More than 100 people are being taken in the campaign. Inflammable/firecrackers in trains were also arrested,” the Railways said in a statement highlighting the year-long achievements of the RPF.
While incidents of stone pelting on other trains are largely unreported, cases of stone pelting on the indigenously built Vande Bharat have received wide publicity.
In fact, the first such train was pelted with stones at Tundla in Uttar Pradesh soon after it started. The train also faced stone-pelting near Sadar here, during which the window glass of a coach was damaged when it reached New Delhi railway station to begin its trial run from Delhi’s Sakurbasti to Allahabad.
Similarly, on December 20, 2018, during another trial run between Delhi and Agra, stones were pelted at the train in Mathura district as well.
The Railways has also roped in the RPF to pacify the locals and the force has tried to distribute chocolates and gifts to slum-dwelling children to stop them from throwing stones at the semi-high-speed train.
The RPF has rescued over 17,500 children from rail premises and 559 people from traffickers so far this year, the national transporter said in a statement on Wednesday, highlighting the successes of its operations against crime in its premises.
It added that under Operation Nanhe Farishtey, the RPF identifies and rescues children who are in need of care and protection, who are lost or separated from their families due to various reasons.
Ministry of Railways has issued a Revised Standard Operating Procedure for better care and protection of children in distress in contact with Railways in December 2021 to be implemented in 2022.
17,756 children to be rescued in 2022
As per the SOP, currently child help desks are functioning at 143 railway stations. During the year, 17,756 such children were rescued by RPF personnel.
The force has launched a campaign against human trafficking named “Operation AAHT”. In order to have an effective mechanism to stop the attempts of human traffickers, the anti-human trafficking units of RPF were made operational at post level (station level) at more than 740 locations of Indian Railways.
During the year, 194 smugglers were arrested and 559 people were rescued from the clutches of smugglers. The force also saved the lives of 852 passengers who slipped while boarding the trains.
RPF also handed over 5,749 offenders involved in various passenger related offenses under IPC to GRP/Police. These include 82 drug addicts, 30 dacoits, 380 robbers, 2628 thieves, 1016 chain snatchers and 93 people involved in crimes against women.
Under Operation Dignity, RPF rescued around 3,400 adults, including women, in need of care and protection who come in contact with the Railways, such as abandoned, drug addicts, destitute, abducted, left behind, missing and who need medical help.
Under Operation Matrushakti, women personnel of RPF facilitated 209 child births on trains last year.
(with PTI inputs)
Also read: Bihar: Stones pelted again on Vande Bharat Express in Katihar