69% jump in cases of eve-teasing, men entering ladies compartments in 2012

Last year, on an average, there were about 500 offences a month of eve-teasing or men entering the ladies' compartment of local trains.

An affidavit submitted by the Railway Protection Force to the Bombay High Court on Thursday reveals that in 2012, 5,984 offences were registered under the Railway Act. This is 69 per cent higher than the number of offences (3,544) registered in 2011. In 2010, just about 200 cases were registered a month.

The affidavit was filed in response to a PIL by Help Mumbai Foundation through its director Sana Sayed. The PIL sought improved measures for security of women on local trains in the light of the recent attacks on women.

"Women RPF constables in plainclothes are deployed at important suburban stations to keep a watch and to apprehend anti-social elements entering ladies compartment,"said additional chief commissioner of RPF Atul Pathak in the affidavit. CCTVs have been installed at all important locations to monitor miscreants indulging in unwanted activities, the affidavit said.

The affidavit also stated that officers in-charge have been instructed to watch out for untoward incidents and offenders should be handed over to the Government Railway Police for investigation and prosecution.

An affidavit filed by Anil Sharma, Inspector General-cum-Chief Security Commissioner (CSC), RPF/Central Railway, stated that there are 1,198 vacancies of RPF constables in the central railway zone for 2011-12. Of these, 10 per cent are reserved for women.

Sharma's affidavit states that the centralised recruitment of RPF constables takes time, hence the Director General (Home Guards) has been requested to provide home guards.

" ...the CSC, Central Railway has, considering the alarming rise in crimes against women, particularly the rail commuters, requisitioned from the DGP (Home Guards), Maharashtra to provide 350 home guards, including 100 women home guards, on regular basis."

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