KOCHI: Policemen using their uniform to enjoy a ‘ticketless ride’ in trains beware! The Railways has deployed special squads under the Trivandrum division to catch police personnel travelling without tickets while on duty.
Irked by a recent incident in which two policemen allegedly assaulted a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) when he asked them to produce proper tickets, the Railways has decided to act tough against police personnel travelling without tickets or travel pass.
The TTEs have been directed to check tickets of all policemen travelling in trains. “Disciplinary action will be initiated against TTEs failing to take action against such policemen,” a senior Railway official told TNSE. According to the officers, incidents of misuse of travel pass and ticketless journeys by police personnel were on the rise.
Strict directives issued to curb cops’ ticketless ride
“We have issued a strict directive to special squads and TTEs to check tickets of policemen travelling in trains as part of the duty. However, we have also directed not to harass them if they are found travelling without proper pass or tickets. The incident should be reported to the control room of the Railway Police and the defaulters would be detrained and taken into custody by the Railway Police,” said Trivandrum division senior divisional commercial manager Rajesh Chandran.
However, police officers said anomalies in allotting passes and tickets were landing them in trouble during train journey as part of duty. “While accompanying prisoners or undertrials, the department provides police officers second class allowance. However, prisoners will get sleeper class tickets. We are duty bound to stay with the undertrials,” said an officer. Normally police personnel carry journey documents issued by the jail authorities, he said.
On December 19, two policemen - T T Nyjan and C J Rinto -- attached to the Armed Reserve Police Camp in Thrissur, who were taking two undertrials to Ernakulam, allegedly hurled abuses and assaulted TTE Sathyendra Meena onboard Jan Shatabdi Express. The police officers produced unreserved second class tickets during checking. The tickets of undertrials were of sleeper class. As Jan Shatabdi is a super fast train, the TTE asked the policemen to pay the fine. Enraged over this, the policemen allegedly assaulted him.
Senior officers from Railways had met the State Police Chief, DGP (Prisons) and other officers demanding stringent action against the erring cops. However, the police investigation in this case is yet to take off. “The investigation team headed by the Shoranur Railway Police CI is waiting for a report from the court as the police officers approached the court.
Once the team gets the report, the statements of the TTE and the police officers will be recorded. Besides, the statements of the passengers in the train, who were witnesses, will be collected. Then only a chargesheet will be filed,” said a police officer.