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The ‘Rail Bazaar’ at the extreme right of this picture functioning as the boundary wall of Dimapur Railway Station.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, June 20: The Dimapur Railway Station, being the second largest revenue generator in the northeast sector, would be expected to provide state-of-the-art facilities with proper sanitation, accommodation and, most importantly, proper security. But the reality is far from the expectations.
There are many instances of robbery inside the station, which appears to be on the rise—if not at an alarming rate, then enough to cause fear among the passengers. The poor security also allows organised crimes to take place inside the station.
On Thursday, officials from the Government Railway Police Station (GRPS) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) stationed at the Dimapur Railway Station shared to Eastern Mirror about the problems they face while trying to keep the station secure.
An RPF official informed that almost every day one person is caught for either snatching valuables or wallets. This, he said, was because security measures and infrastructure have been neglected for years.
“Security walls on both ends of the station is very necessary for monitoring entry and exit points,” said the official, adding that numerous appeals to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears.
He informed that these ‘open entry and exit points’ make it very easy for criminals to enter and escape without any problem.
One of the most common crimes is robbing on moving trains where the thieves board and snatch valuables and jump off the moving train, which makes it difficult for the victim to lodge a complaint.
On June 20, a man in his early 30s was caught attempting to steal a mobile phone on a moving train. He was caught by a GRPS personnel after a long chase. “The accused will be sent to the court after which the magistrate will decide what to do,” informed the official.
Another police personnel said that many non-Naga young women walk around with babies to avoid suspicion and commit various thefts.
It was reported that a non-Naga woman, on the pretext of asking for a phone charger, was caught attempting to steal from a woman’s handbag. An alert passenger intervened and she was handed over to the RPF.
In this connection, an official from the GRPS said that high calibre CCTV cameras should be installed ‘everywhere’ to catch the thieves and prevent such incidents. It was informed that almost all CCTV cameras at the train station are not operating and have not been replaced in two years despite repeated complaints.
The officer informed that the previous officer in-charge had written many times to the higher authorities for proper security fencing, CCTV cameras and detectors but to no avail; nothing has been done till date.
It was also learned that no metal scanners and weighing machines were functioning and due to this, most miscreants are now taking advantage of the situation at Dimapur Railway Station, the official said.
Since January this year, a total of 10 regular cases have been registered which include thefts, smuggling of pills and arms, whereas immediate preventive action cases registered were more than 35.
“Recently, a consignment of 26,000 spasmo proxyvon pills were seized and was registered under the immediate preventive action case,” informed the GRPS official.