Mumbai: RPF cops dress as clowns to draw attention to their safety drive

Ae bhai, zaraa dekh ke chalo - this is what the Railway Protection Force (RPF) decided to convey to rushing commuters in a fun way yesterday

Kurla RPF policemen dressed as clowns during the safety initiative on Thursday. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

Ae bhai, zaraa dekh ke chalo - this is what the Railway Protection Force (RPF) decided to convey to rushing commuters in a fun way yesterday. A few officers with the Kurla RPF dressed as clowns and jigged to the popular song from Mera Naam Joker, asking commuters to mind their steps and be cautious while boarding or alighting from train. Officers said they are undertaking several initiatives, as Mumbaikars pouring in and out of stations or catching trains hardly ever think about their safety.

RPF officers said their safety campaigns are aimed at listing the precautions people need to take while taking the train, walking on the platform and foot overbridges (FOBs), etc. Last morning, as soon as a train pulled in at Kurla station and people started getting down, RPF's 'clowns' started dancing to 'Ae bhai, zaraa dekh ke chalo; aage bhi nahi, pichhe bhi; baayen bhi nahi, daayen bhi...' from Raj Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker.

The idea was floated by Suresh Atri, senior inspector, Kurla RPF, who arranged for equipment to play the song and the items required - the costume and masks. "Our aim is to spread awareness among commuters, so that they follow basic rules while walking on FOBs," he said. A Government Railway Police officer said, "Some are rushing to reach home, some are hurrying to office. In all this, commuters' safety while walking on FOBs is still a matter of concern. The recent stampede at Elphinstone Road station doesn't seem to be on anyone's mind anymore."

Even as the clown-cops enacted the essentials, many commuters took a moment, and instead of rushing to their destination, went up to the RPF personnel on the platform to laud them for their effort. An elderly woman was so impressed that she too wore a mask and joined the police team in their act, to spread the message of safety among people.

Also read: Mumbai: 3,014 people died while crossing tracks last year, say railway police

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