KOZHIKODE: Kerala came in third in the country - behind Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra - in the number of crime cases reported in railway stations across the state. The data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2016 has revealed the ignoble fact with the number of crime cases reported in railway stations across the state increasing considerably.
According to the data, 7,678 cases were reported in Kerala in 2016. Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 10,918 cases crimes registered with the railway police. Maharashtra had 7,684 registered cases.
While there were 4,621 cases reported in Kerala in 2014, the number rose to 6,046 in 2015; the latest figure records an over 20 per cent increase.
The data shows the maximum number of crimes committed was under the Special & Local Laws (SLL) category, with 7,371 cases reported under SLL category. The Railway Police has registered 155 theft, 12 robbery cases and 136 other IPC cases. Railway Deputy Superintendent of Police (DCRB) S Madhusudanan said the increase in the number of cases in a real sense shows the efficiency of policing of the Railway Police.
“The increase in the number of cases registered in a year does not reflect increasing crime, but the effective policing being done in the railways,” he said. He said other states avoid registration of cases to minimise crime records. “We do not have such practices. We are very effective. In fact, both the Kerala police and the Railway Police are active in conducting special drives and strict in law enforcement. We do not spare anyone who tries to commit a crime,” he said.
Madhusudanan said a fair per cent of the cases registered under theft and robbery have been recovered. In most cases, the robbed objects are gadgets such as mobile phones and laptops. “People are solely responsible for this. We have seen many travellers keep their mobile phones at the charging points. The same is the case with laptops. The bag is kept somewhere carelessly. The number of these incidents can be reduced if people are more careful,” he said.
He added the major issue the Railway Police are battling is the rise in trafficking of drugs and other substances. According to the officer, there are no proper mechanisms to check the bags of the travellers. “The police cannot check it manually. Even X-ray screening is not practical. Hence, the cases registered are minimal compared to the quantities that are probably being carried, and which we have failed to seize,” he said. But he added the Railway Police is trying their best to control this.