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Hyderabad: Concerns about the safety of women traveling on trains have grown after a recent incident where a minor girl was harassed and sexually assaulted on the Raxaul–Secunderabad Express. This has led to renewed calls for better security and CCTV cameras in train compartments.
This is not the first such case. Just two weeks ago, a 23-year-old woman jumped off a moving MMTS train after a man allegedly tried to rape her inside the ladies’ coach. Though this incident was a serious warning, railway authorities have still not improved security significantly.
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Officials have recently announced plans to place more female Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) staff on trains, especially in ladies’ compartments and MMTS services. They also advise women to travel in groups for added safety. However, these steps have only been partly carried out.
Some railway experts suggest that women traveling alone should sit in more crowded coaches, as a higher number of passengers can make it safer and discourage attackers.
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Sai Teja, a social activist, said there is an urgent need to improve train security. He suggested that just like the 100 emergency number is widely promoted, the RPF should also make their helpline more visible. He recommended placing helpline numbers near train doors, especially on express trains, and suggested that RPF personnel should be posted near coach doors to prevent crimes in train washrooms. He also noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, RPF checks on trains were more frequent, but have decreased recently.
Robin, a daily train commuter, also expressed concern. He said that every train should have proper security and that passengers should be made aware of the presence of police. He added that displaying emergency contact numbers in every coach and installing CCTV cameras on express trains would make passengers feel safer and reduce crime.
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