16 June,2011 07:05 AM IST | | Vedika Chaubey
Surge in attacks on passengers prompts railway police to conduct a study of vulnerable areas; two such incidents registered in the last fortnight
The sudden surge in attacks on local train passengers along the railway tracks has prompted the Government Railway Police (GRP) to study dangerous pockets where thieves hit commuters in a bid to snatch valuables from them and start round-the-clock patrolling on either side of the tracks.
GRP officials also plan to seek help from local people residing along the tracks to nab the criminals and plan to runu00a0 background checks on those found loitering near the tracks.
Shrikant Savarkar, Additional Director General of Police (GRP), said, "This is a serious concern and we have decided to start round-the-clock patrolling on both sides of the railway tracks.
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Also, our officials will be speaking to and meeting the people residing near the tracks. We are also in the process of checking files and shortlist such criminals."
All senior officers of the railway police have been informed about the development and they have already started working on the same.
A GRP official said, "Most cases happen near the slum areas, so we are concentrating on these pockets. Dharavi, Mumbra, Kalwa and Mahim are risky areas. Passenger should be extra careful while travelling through these places," he said.
In the last fortnight, two incidents have taken place near a tunnel between Kalwa and Mumbra railway stations.
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Jayshree Tribhuvan, a resident of Diva, fell off a moving train between Kalwa and Mumbra stations and got seriously injured after someone hit her with a rod in a bid to snatch her bag around 8.20 pm on Monday. She was rushed to Thane Civil hospital and then referred to J J Hospital.
On May 31, Suchita Tambe (22), who was travelling in a Khopoli-bound train, fell off it when she was hit by some hard object near the tunnel between Kalwa and Mumbra stations around 9.20pm. She suffered serious injuries on her head, hands and ears and got 12 stitches.
Asked about the Jayshree Tribhuvan case, both the GRP and the railway spokesperson, however, denied that the incident took place because she was hit by a 'missile'.
According to them, if a fellow passenger was to be believed, she was hit by some hard object while standing near the door and fell off the train.
"We have not found any proof in the Tribhuvan case pf her having been hit by someone. Investigations are still on. If anything of this sort is found, we will take strict action against the guilty," he said.
The GRP also requested the passengers to avoid travelling on the footboard and near the door with their belongings.
