Railway police crack down on adrenaline junkies on CR lines, counsel youngsters

Parents of 53 children caught performing stunts summoned; 100 others penalised between Oct and Nov

MUMBAI: To curb footboard travelling and dangerous stunts performed by youngsters on the Central Railway (CR) — main and harbour lines — the railway protection force (RPF) recently conducted a 20-day a special drive at Kurla. While more than 100 commuters were penalised, the RPF also counselled 53 school and college students who were caught performing stunts at railway platforms and on trains.

Suresh Atri, senior police inspector, Kurla (RPF), said they decided to organise the drive after receiving regular complaints from commuters about children doing dangerous stunts on local trains and at platforms.

Beginning October 20, the RPF implemented the drive between Kurla and Ghatkopar on the main line and between Kurla and Mankhurd on the harbour line.

Atri said several lives are endangered owing to commuters indulging in stunts — especially school children, who travel in groups and love to show off.

RPF personnel informed the parents of the children caught while performing stunts.

“Most parents were unaware that their children indulged in such activities. To prevent children from performing stunts, their parents have to be held accountable. If the juvenile court starts taking bonds signed by the parents pledging their children will never perform such stunts, then the practice of stunts can be curbed effectively. However, now we call their parents and counsel

lines

Total number of railway stations

Deaths by falling off running trains

2018

(Till July 30, 2018)

on both both the kids and their parents,” said Atri.

Many videos of commuters doing stunts have also gone viral on social media, which could have a negative effect on other commuters, Atri said. “We studied the videos and tried to keep a watch on the train timings in the videos and also the spots where such stunts are rampant.”

Till June this year, more than 250 people have died on CR after falling off running trains.

More than 10 have died after banging into poles while leaning dangerously from trains.

The maximum number of deaths were in Kurla (44) and Kalyan (42) according to statistics released by the Railways.

Senior RPF officers in the Western and Harbour lines said they also prosecute commuters for travelling dangerously on footboards.

Anoop Shukla, senior divisional

security commissioner of Western Railway, said that till September this year they have prosecuted 5,105 commuters. In 2017, they had prosecuted 3,318 people.

“We also carry out drives to prosecute bullying in the trains,” said Shukla.