Railways set up watch teams

(ACP).

In signal tampering, criminals identify dark patches and vulnerable spots and then tamper with signals. Due to this the signal turns red and the train has to stop. As soon as the train stops the gang enters the train and attacks passengers.

“A month ago, a gang robbed four trains on the MadhiraVijayawada stretch. While they succeeded on three trains the security personnel on the fourth train foiled their plans and they were nabbed,” said the official.

In addition to these methods, criminals target single women with children or women sitting near doors or windows.

They often give drugs mixed in soft drinks to passengers.

Pickpockets target crowds on moving trains, near ticket counters, escalators and platforms.

In Hydedrabad’s MMTS local trains they target passengers who stand at the entrance and talk on mobile phones as their attention is elsewhere. Police officials say that lack of coordination between the railways, the RPF and the GRP is the main reason for thefts on trains.

Robberies are of four kinds. Lone offenders, interstate gangs, alert chain pulling gangs (ACP) and gangs that strike in dark areas. To counter them, the railways have set up observation teams at vulnerable stations. This has yielded positive results.

The interstate gangs belonging to Sholapur, Nanded, Bidar, Parbhani and Bihar operate in stretches which connect their native areas. In some cases they board trains and wait till the train reaches the preselected spot. One of the robbers pull the alarm chain while others rob passengers. They then jump off. All this happens in less than five minutes. After the train stops, the guard, security personnel and the TTE arrive at the coach from where the chain was pulled, but by then the thieves would have disappeared. These gangs target single women with jewellery.

The second type of attack is by gangs who block the track and strike as soon as the train stops. Security lapses also lead to thefts. “Trains that have police travelling in them are also robbed as the cops doze off after 3 am. Sometimes, the robbers check out where policemen are seated and rob coaches that are far away. A factor that aids robbery is that TTEs allow unauthorised persons into reserved compartments”, an official said.

The last category is the lone offender who locates his target and robs him or her.