BENGALURU: The Government Railway Police (GRP) has constituted a Special Task Force with 100 constables, picked from its cadre, to patrol railway stations and trains in the State. The force will be active across Bengaluru, Mysuru and Kalaburagi divisions, said top GRP officials.
GRP Superintendent Siri Gowri told The New Indian Express that the Task Force would be formally launched on Sunday. “It will comprise 30 women and 70 men personnel. We are getting new uniforms ready for them. Training in self-defence and other professional activities will begin from Wednesday. They will be deployed on patrolling work,” she said.
“They will carry communication devices, torches and batons. The personnel will look smart with a black T-shirt, military green camouflage pants and a cap. It is aimed at making them stand out and create a powerful impression among the public,” she added.
The Task Force will patrol the concourse area of stations, platforms and inside trains to give the public a sense of safety.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Railways, Bhaskar Rao said the Task Force cops will be empowered to take decisions on their own when they are on rounds.
“The idea is to give them a certain identity. Due to the acute staff shortage of staff, we are recruiting them from within our force. The Task Force team will be additionally trained to keep a hawk’s eye on drugs smuggled in trains and abandoned at stations,” he said.
The Task Force will also attend symposiums organised by the Women and Child Welfare Department and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to get sensitised on handling trafficking cases involving women and children.
“Awareness needs to be created on how they need to deal with rescued individuals and where they need to be handed over,” the ADGP said.Future plans include fitting bodycams on their person for which budget is not available yet, the SP said.
This is the second such step being mooted by the GRP in recent times to make its lower ranked staff feel empowered. It had earlier issued business cards to all its constables to give them a sense of identity as well as providing public valuable contact information in case of emergencies.