RPF Launches Student Awareness Drive to Prevent Train Stone-Throwing Incidents

Quick Summary:

• Incidents: Stone-pelting at moving trains has become a frequent issue along the palakkad-Kannur stretch of Southern Railway. In 2022, 32 cases were reported, with 12 occurring between Kozhikode and Kannur. In 2023, this stretch accounted for 11 out of the total 23 cases in the division.
• targeted trains: Vande Bharat Express, Sampark Kranti Express, Mangaluru-Chennai Superfast, and Netravati Express are among the trains frequently targeted.
• Safety Concerns: No direct witnesses or surveillance footage frequently enough complicates identifying perpetrators; some passengers have reported injuries due to incidents.
• RPF actions: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has launched a new awareness campaign targeting schools and colleges to educate students about legal consequences under the Railways Act, which treats such acts as sabotage attempts punishable by law.
• Additional Measures: The campaign will be supported by local authorities and law enforcement agencies while plans for advanced surveillance cameras in vulnerable areas are underway along with increased patrolling. Motorcycle patrol squads and mass contact programs with local communities have been recommended earlier as preventive steps.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
Stone-pelting incidents on railways pose serious safety risks for passengers while straining resources meant for infrastructure security advancement initiatives like smart surveillance systems or patrolling upgrades combined w/future youth educational outreach “because lately growing rate Educ’t’;