The Railway Protection Force (RPF), which has inducted 4,500 women this year, might increase female representation in the force.
“We had 4,000 women employees and recruited around 4,500 more against 10,000 vacancies. Now their combined strength is 10% of the whole force. They are specially deployed to prevent crime against women and children,” RPF Director General Arun Kumar said at the closing ceremony of All India Police Band Competition-2019 on Sunday.
On an average, women constitute 20% of all rail passengers in the country and their numbers are expected to rise in future. “Recruiting more women constables and sub-inspectors will help curb crime against women and children,” he said.
Coffee table book
A coffee table book documenting the history and evolution of the RPF was released by Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu. The book states how a contingent designated as Company Police for Security of Railways, a private force, had to be banned after enactment of ‘Indian Police Act’ in 1872. Important tasks of the RPF are also mentioned.
On the fight against naxalism, it mentions how preventive steps are taken upon receiving information about bandhs or subversive activities by Left Wing Extremist groups. The steps include imposing speed restrictions on trains and operating a pilot engine ahead of passenger trains.
Functions of various sections of RPF such as the recently-launched Commando for Railway Security or CORAS and cyber cell are also included in it.
