Amid instances of property crimes reported on board trains, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has revamped the train beat system with focus on long-distance trains.
The modifications were put in place following a review of the system to bring in some standardisation in the train escort pattern and in an effort to curb crimes on board trains across the jurisdiction of GRP, Tiruchi District.
The structural changes were brought in taking into account the crime pattern and by identifying important trains passing through the limits of the Tiruchi District that starts from Villupuram and extends up to Kanyakumari in the northwest direction.
As per the modified system, field-level GRP personnel deployed for train beat duty would travel for a minimum of three hours on board trains in which they were assigned to provide escort. They would head back to their respective destination by another train providing escort for similar time duration. They would be relieved by their counterparts either from the neighbouring railway district or those attached to the neighbouring sub-division or by the neighbouring railway police station personnel.
The idea is to bring standardisation in escort timing and curb property crimes on trains, said the Superintendent of Police, Railways, Tiruchi, E.T.Samson.
The train beat timing under the earlier system had certain inconsistencies with some constables providing escort for one hour, while others for two or three hours.
Some form of uniformity had been brought under the revised system and important long-distance trains and those in which property crimes had been reported were being covered, Mr.Samson said.
Around 70 to 80 trains were being covered in Tiruchi District limits by the train beats on a daily basis. Constables from the Tamil Nadu Special Police, Tiruchi, were also roped in for escort in some important trains and to strengthen the train beat duty.
Robbery and baggage lifting were the property crimes reported more in the Tiruchi Railway District jurisdiction.
Railway Police sources said of the 57 baggage theft cases booked in the period January to September, 37 were detected.
The number of robbery cases reported in the same period was 13 of which 11 were detected.
