GRP cops to wear fluorescent jackets for easy identification
LUCKNOW: The Gover nment Railway Police (GRP) will now wear fluorescent half-jackets bearing the GRP logo in blue over their khaki uniforms, additional director general (ADG) railways Javed Ahmed told newsmen on Saturday.
These are expected to give the GRP visibility and check impersonation by criminals, like the incident on October 20, in which a woman IAS officer was allegedly molested at Charbagh station by a person dressed as a GRP official.
The GRP also banned the involvement of runaways, sweepers or any third party in lifting of bodies from the track and distributed safety kits to its cops, after outrage over a recent incident in which minors were forced to collect body parts of a person who was run over by a train.
“We cannot force anyone to lift bodies. It’s a part of our duty and we have to do it. We are providing a safety kit that includes gloves, apron and mask for the cops to maintain hygiene while handling bodies,” said Ahmed, while addressing a press conference.
He also stressed the need to make trains and the station premises an ‘eve-teasing free zone’.
“We have constituted an anti-eve teasing squad to keep a check. It will have cops, including women personnel, in plainclothes who will remain active at all places at the station and also on trains,” he said.
Besides, Ahmed ordered the cops to counsel Monthly Season Ticket (MST) holders, who often argued with the regular passengers, and to involve all porters and coolies to join the ongoing police ‘mitra’ programme.
He highlighted the achievements of the GRP and took a pledge to make Charbagh the most hi-tech station.
“At present, there are 98 CCTV cameras working at the station. We have started real time monitoring and are keeping an eye over illegal parking and suspicious people,” he said.
In September and October, around 400 e-challans were recorded.
In this context, the ADG railways said the GRP was going to start a new helpline number on which a passenger could get his problem registered with an SMS
WE CANNOT FORCE ANYONE TO LIFT DEAD BODIES. IT’S A PART OF OUR DUTY AND WE HAVE TO DO IT. WE ARE PROVIDING A SAFETY KIT THAT INCLUDES GLOVES, APRON AND MASK FOR THE COPS TO MAINTAIN HYGIENE WHILE HANDLING DEAD BODIES
JAVED AHMED, ADG, railways
or by making a call.
“It is the a unique thing that we are doing. The helpline will be activated within the next 15 days and passengers will be able to get immediate assistance ,” he said, adding that stickers would be put up for GRP helpline, control room and the contact numbers of officers in all stations in order to spread awareness among train passengers.
In addition, Ahmed said the cops were also playing an important role in the recovery of children from human traffickers. “In September, we recovered 144 children, of which 25 were handed over to their guardians, while 119 were given in the custody of Childline and other NGOs,” he said.