Renew Focus on Crime Control and Passenger Safety in Indian Railways
: The 6th All India Conference of Government Railway Police Chiefs, organised under the aegis of the Railway Protection Force concluded successfully in New Delhi. The high-level conference, presided over by Director General, RPF, Shri Manoj Yadava, witnessed the participation of DGPs, ADGPs, and senior officers from the GRP of various states and union territories, alongside representatives from the Ministry of Railways.
This important gathering marked a concerted effort to address the growing challenges of crime control on Indian Railways and to strengthen collective mechanisms to ensure the safety and security of millions of railway passengers commuting daily through its vast network. The central theme of the conference revolved around enhancing intelligence-sharing, formulating joint operational strategies and fine-tuning inter-agency coordination to counter the evolving modus operandi of criminal elements exploiting the vast railway network.
A key focus area was the intensification of passenger awareness campaigns to educate travellers on common tricks and traps employed by thieves and fraudsters. The conference resolved to push for the seamless conversion of passenger property theft complaints lodged on the Rail Madad portal into formal FIRs, thereby boosting detection rates and discouraging repeat offences.
In a bid to dismantle organized interstate criminal networks targeting high-value passenger belongings, detailed deliberations were held on deploying proactive surveillance, coordinated operations across states and leveraging technology-backed solutions including Facial Recognition Systems. The necessity of a unified response system among GRP units of different states and UTs was strongly emphasized to prevent jurisdictional gaps that are often exploited by offenders.
Special attention was devoted to the worrying trends of crimes against women passengers, with the participants agreeing on robust preventive measures including targeted patrolling, CCTV cameras in stations and coaches and deployment of Meri Saheli teams to enhance the sense of security among women travellers.
The misuse of railway premises by drug traffickers and smugglers also came under the scanner, with strategies being discussed to curb such illegal activities through intensified checks and real-time intelligence inputs. A critical presentation by the Intelligence Bureau highlighted potential terrorist threats to sensitive railway installations and the urgent need for vulnerability assessments and fortified security protocols.
Additionally, the issue of child safety on railway premises was deliberated, focusing on mechanisms for timely identification and rehabilitation of vulnerable children being rescued from trafficking and exploitation risks.
Speaking at the conclusion of the conference, DG RPF Shri Manoj Yadava remarked, "Crime control on the vast Indian Railways is not the responsibility of any single agency but a collective mission that demands synergy, coordination and shared intelligence. The resolve shown by GRP and RPF leadership across the nation today assures our commitment to making railway travel safer, more secure, and free from the threat of criminal elements. We stand united in our effort to protect every passenger, every child, and every corner of our railway network from harm."
The conference reaffirmed the joint commitment of RPF and GRP forces to transform Indian Railways into a zero-tolerance zone for crime, safeguarding its status as the lifeline of the nation.
