Thefts rampant in trains to Kerala; passengers fear for life: No action yet from Railways

New Delhi: Malayali train passengers fear for their lives and belongings after a series of thefts reported in the Kerala Express. This comes as a blow to the passengers who struggle to book tickets on this train and then have to enter into brawls with random passengers to secure their reserved seats in the compartments, all while ensuring the safety of those who travel with them. It was on February 12 that a bag containing a laptop and a few other valuables of Anagha Anilkumar, a third-year graduate student at the Deshbandhu College in Kalkaji, got stolen, reports Manorama Online. She also lost expensive makeup items worth Rs 10,000, imitation ornaments, a watch, Rs 3000 in cash, a college ID card, an Aadhar card and a PAN card. Anagha is the daughter of Kollam, Mayyanad natives Anil Kumar and Laina, who reside at Pocket C, Phase – 2, Mayur Vihar in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Kollam Kuttikada KVVES Youth Wing General Secretary NA Nishad’s bag was stolen from the train on February 16. His bag, which had Rs 7000 in cash and a few other things, had been robbed while travelling to Delhi to participate in the Parliament march organised by the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti. Although Nishad had booked a return train ticket, he decided to travel by aeroplane as he was distressed by the incident. The police had registered cases in both incidents; however, they have not contacted the complainants until now.

Trains that lack hygiene and safety
Police assume that North Indian gangs are behind the thefts in trains to South India. They have found that gangs of robbers from Haryana, Rajasthan and Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh board these trains to steal the passengers’ bags and other belongings. They mostly target passengers who are sleeping at night. Besides, there have been incidents of chain snatching through the windows.

Although the Railways has admitted that the number of thefts has soared in the trains to Kerala, no action has been taken to prevent train robbery. Kerala Express has become a main target of robbers and chain-snatching gangs from the North Indian states. Meanwhile, such cases have been reported in Mangala Express, Rajadhani Express and Sambark Kranto Express too. Passengers without reserved seats enter the reservation compartment from Nagpur and Itarsi stations onwards. The officials hardly take any action to stop this and the passengers themselves have to safeguard their lives and belongings. The trains reach these stations late at night, so it is difficult for the authorities to prevent random people from entering the reservation compartments, as most passengers would be asleep.

Planned robberies
Passengers travelling in the Kerala Express are likely to get robbed in two situations. They may be the targets in the extremely crowded platforms at the Delhi railway station when they are waiting for the train. Meanwhile, thefts mostly happen inside the train after it passes Agra or Bhopal. Malayalis aren’t spared in the return journeys, too, as they are robbed after the train passes the Bhopal station.

The Kerala Express train often enters the platform only ten minutes before the scheduled departure time. The passengers lose their belongings (mostly more than one bags and suitcases) while they hastily board the train along with their luggage. A huge gang of robbers positioned at various spots in the railway station snatch the bags amid the chaos. These stolen bags and suitcases are handed over multiple times within a few minutes, making it impossible for the passengers to trace them.

Women who wear gold ornaments during train journeys are also luring the thieves to snatch them. There have been many incidents of Malayali women who boarded the train from Gujarat and Mumbai getting attacked on the Konkan route. However, the police have not been able to find even a single lead in all these cases.

Stealing documents
People often complain that they have lost important documents or certificates, not just valuable gadgets or ornaments. Millions of Malayalis, including nurses, are employed in various parts of India and often rely on long-distance trains. Most carry certificates and other important documents like ID cards and passports while travelling. Those who have lost such important documents have suffered a hard time after these were robbed from the trains. Successive railway ministers often vow that they will take strict action to prevent train robberies. However, their promises are limited to appointing two policemen in a few trains. These police may not have the training or weapons to prevent such organised crimes.

Precautions
The Railways has the responsibility to ensure the safety of the passengers during train journeys. But, the authorities continue their apathy despite multiple appeals and requests made by the MPs from Kerala. Meanwhile, here are a few precautions and safety measures that the railway could adopt to ensure that the passengers enjoy a safe and comfortable journey.
1) Long-distance trains should be brought to the platform at least half an hour before the scheduled departure time to avoid last-minute rush.
2) Stopping the trains at deserted stations or tracks allows the thieves to enter the train without being spotted by the authorities.
3) Automatic doors should be installed at least in the AC compartments.
4) At least one CCTV camera should be fixed in each compartment.
5) Ensure police presence in the trains throughout the journey.
6) Efficient facilities to handle the grievances.