Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
RPF-GRP adopts pro-active strategy to control thefts in running trains
By Dheeraj Fartode
A new patrolling initiative by security agencies in Nagpur Division of the Central Railway has managed to rein the free run of thieves in running trains. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) evolved a new strategy about a month back and its results are fantastic, said Ibrahim Sheriff, Sr. Divisional Commandant and Divisional Security Commissioner of Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Nagpur Division.
He said the decision to increase patrolling aboard most crime affected trains was the most basic strategy but the deployment of manpower was done in a scientific manner, Ibrahim told The Hitavada while explaining the counter strategy. As per new scheme, an Inspector level officer now accompanies patrolling party. Similarly the number of patrolling parties too have been increased from four to six.
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| Duranto Express |
Superintendent of Police (SP) GRP, Nagpur Region, Shashikant Mane, told ‘The Hitavada’ that the police first did a minute study of crime graph and shortlisted the worst affected trains. The crime figures of past few years was culled to study the pattern of crime and then the new strategy was prepared. Foremost thing that we have focussed is visibility of patrolling parties and hence the decision to increase number of on board men. The officer said, Vidarbha Express, Sewagram Express, Duranto Express, Gitanjali Express, Korba and others trains are being escorted by GRP now on daily basis.
Focus is on critical trains that have passage through Nagpur Division during night time, also the time when most thefts occur. Thieves in recent times have been working overtime to target the passengers when they were in deep slumber. All Swarna Jayanti and Sampark Kranti trains are now escorted in division.
RPF has also swung into action and are providing escort parties in Kerala Express, NavJeevan Express, Sewagram Express, Dakshin Express, Ahilya Nagari Express. Sharrif said patrolling has been intensified to give passenger a feel of security in running trains. Apart from regular patrolling, we also conduct surprise checks to keep our men on toes and 24 hours alert.
In recent past passenger have been at receiving end due to rampant thefts giving a sense of insecurity during travelling. Travelling in prestigious trains or in higher class did not guarantee any immunity from thefts. Stung by public criticism the top brass of Central Railway decided to take some firm steps. Especially, thefts in Duranto Express increased tension for senior rung officers of the force.
Sources informed that a meeting was held between SP GRP Mane and Commandant of RPF Sharrif and the new strategy was finalised and quickly implemented. Shariff is happy that new strategy have borne fruits as no major theft was reported after the new patrolling norms was detailed and police present multiplied in trains from past one month.
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