Brisk patrol trying to bring down fatalities on railway tracks

Praveen Kumar | NT

In order to stop trespassing into railway tracks, which is a major cause of deaths, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has set up a brisk track patrolling in various parts of the city. In order to dissuade youngsters from using earphones while crossing the railway tracks, the GRP is conducting such patrolling around smaller railway stations in the city.

It is said that five deaths occurred on the railway tracks in the last one month, and in most cases the victims were reportedly hooked on to earphones.

On February 23, a 52-year old man from Rajajinagar was run over by a speeding train near the Majestic railway station. The victim, identified as Rekh Chand, died while trying to cross the railway track at night after dropping his relatives at Majestic railway station.

Chand, who hails from North India, got run over by a train when he hurriedly tried to cross the track to reach a platform.

GRP officials claim that the incidents of people crossing the tracks are more prevalent near establishments and residences. They have also put out posters urging them to avoid crossing the railway tracks.

Curbing anti-social activity
The brisk patrolling is also being used to curb anti-social activity along the railway tracks. Recently a youth from Assam was stabbed near Nayandahalli by some assailants, who have been targeting victims walking near railway tracks. The city railway police had registered a case of attempt to murder under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Some miscreants also hurl stones at trains and snatch mobile phones from passengers of moving trains. Some stretches are also frequented by drug peddlers, addicts and gamblers.

“Anybody found on the tracks is being picked and enquired. They are let off after a warning. Anybody found with criminal history is immediately booked. There are 23 black spots across the state and these spots have been identified by Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre (KSRSAC) located in GKVK campus. It is mostly the minors who are found walking on the tracks,” Siri Gowri, Superintendent of Police, Karnataka Railways told NT.

Awareness drives by the brisk patrol by GRP are getting a good response and the number of deaths has declined,” the railway SP added.