RPF forms CUG group for women

Chennai: Henceforth, suburban trains and stations would be guarded, or rather watched, by more than RPF personnel. Chennai railway division has directly involved travellers in optimising passenger safety. A closed user group (CUG) of regular women passengers has been formed to study and optimise safety on trains and at stations.

RPF officials have identified 150 regular women travellers and networked with them in this regard. Besides regular interaction with the CUG, the women would have round-the-clock access to top RPF officials.

From picking holes in safety to suggesting solutions, the women CUG members would play a proactive role in enhancing safety, said S.R. Gandhi, senior division security commission, southern railway.

RPF, Chennai division, has identified Putlur, Tir­umullaivoil, Patravakkam, Korattur, Vyasarpadi, Kor­u­kkupet, Tondiarept, Wa­sher­manpet, Kaverapettai and Tirusulam as vulnerable stations in the city’s suburban train segment.

An analysis of the timing of crimes by RPF had also revealed that most crimes happen 6 am-3 pm, 6 pm-8 pm and 10 pm-12 midnight. Apart from chain-snatching, which tops the chart of crimes, mobile phones and wallets have been identified as most targeted properties aboard suburban trains and at stations.

Basin Bridge-Vyasarpadi and Ambattur-Patrava­k­k­am and Korattur-Perambur have been identified as sections most vulnerable to crime. Till October last, the Chennai RPF division recorded 79 different crimes with chain-snatching and theft accounting for 34 and 33 incidents respectively. Victims of all chain-snatching incidents were women. Curiously, women have been more watchful in respect of properties as only five of the 33 victims of thefts were women.