Vijayawada: Train robberies increase in summer

Vijayawada: Robbery cases in trains have increased this summer due to the rush usually witnessed during vacation. Miscreants are committing the crime during nights despite the police escorts being on duty.

The police check all the coaches by constantly moving from one end of the train to the other and observing the movements of the people.

In 2018-19, the RPF registered 168 cases relating to robbery of passengers’ belonging. The RPF recovered stolen property worth Rs 6,64,66,162 after arresting 109 offenders in the limits of Vijayawada railway division.

Usually, the thieves target passengers in the AC and sleeper coaches. They enter the coaches like a other travellers and then rob suitcases, bags or other baggage, when the passengers are fast asleep.

It is reported that a majority of these robberies are committed by inter-state robbery gangs belonging to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Bengal.

Every day, over 200 trains, apart from summer special trains cross Vijayawada junction. Over 2-2.5 lakh passengers ply through the Vijayawada railway junction during summer vacation. In 2018-19, RPF personnel recovered 429 leftover articles worth Rs 95.16 lakh and handed them over to the respective passengers.

There are already 288 CC cameras in the region and the railway police fixed another 202 CC cameras in 17 stations in the region, using the Nirbhaya Fund. There are plans to fix 877 ,ore cameras very soon.

Last year, as many as 51 smugglers were arrested while transporting smuggled good like gold, star tortoises and ganja worth Rs 1.60 crore.

Speaking to DC, Sr. Divisional Security Commissioner, SC Railways, Sachin Bhalode said they had deployed more policemen at the railway stations and in the coaches and that they were carrying the photographs of the criminals to avoid crime.

He also said that they identified black spots and deployed police at those places.

Though the Police implemented first of its kind 6 Fingerprint-based criminal identification devices and hundreds of CC cameras, the crime was not coming down when compared to the previous years.

Speaking to DC, Sr. Divisional Security Commissioner, SC Railways, Sachin Bhalode said they had deployed more policemen at the railway stations and in the coaches and that they were carrying the photographs of the criminals to avoid crime.

He also said that they identified black spots and deployed police at those places.

He further stated that there have been some inter-state gangs and arrested them successfully with the support of GRP teams, said Sachin Bhalode.