About 500 security personnel fanned across railway stations in the Capital, the bomb disposal squad began extensive checking and sniffer dogs were deployed to look for explosives as a high alert was sounded across Delhi stations following the bomb blast at the Chennai Central railway station on Thursday.
“The dog squad has been deployed since morning, while the bomb disposal squad is on standby. Checking and frisking of passengers and their baggage has been increased. While usually there are adequate number of policemen at the station premises, around 500 personnel are on patrolling duty at the stations on Thursday,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Railways) Sanjeev Bhatia.
Officials claim the situation is under control even on normal days.
“General Railway Police personnel are onboard all long distance trains. Different teams keep changing their personnel as per the jurisdiction. The presence of cops on board helps check petty crimes as well,” said Northern Railway spokesperson Neeraj Sharma.
Though officials claim presence of manpower and round-the-clock surveillance, some recent incidents — cases of dacoity onboard trains — in areas closer to the Capital have of late exposed the chinks in the security apparatus.
For their part, the authorities term such cases as aberrations. Railway officials here said that the GRP had recently launched an extensive drive against robbers and busted a gang with the arrest of three active members from neighbouring Ghaziabad.
