CHENNAI: July 25 was a busy day for the Railway Protection Force (RPF), posted on a special drive, on the Chennai Central-Gummidipoondi route. By the day’s end, the team seized around 3,300 kg of rice, supplied through Tamil Nadu’s Public Distribution System (PDS), being smuggled into Andhra Pradesh. Elsewhere, a combined team of RPF and civil supplies department officials in Vellore district recovered a similar quantity of PDS rice from two trains on the Chennai-Bengaluru route.
It is not just passengers and paid freight that Railways is carrying. Trains have become a mode of choice for smugglers looking to take PDS rice beyond State borders. The incidence of smuggling has now become so significant yet common that RPF (Chennai division) is well on track to beat last year’s record haul of 1.3 lakh kg. Till July 26, 2017, 75,452 kg of rice, worth a market value of around `3.77 lakh, has been seized from local and express trains. It is an offence under Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980.
However, they admit to facing a challenge in finding a link to the larger group behind such activities because individuals involved in smuggling easily escape the flying squad, leaving behind several unclaimed bags of rice.
Explaining the modus operandi, an RPF inspector, on condition of anonymity, said several individuals are involved. The rice, packed in bags of varying quantities, is kept under seats and near toilets. “Upon seeing a patrol team, the culprits feign knowledge and leave the place. We merely recover the bags and hand them over to the civil supplies department,” the inspector added.
Civil supplies department officials said there is less manpower to contain incidents of smuggling. But the core issue, they revealed, concerns the abuse of TN’s universal PDS wherein everyone is entitled to a monthly quota.
“For commercial purposes, individuals divert PDS rice meant for domestic consumption. This is evident from bags of different quantities being found in trains,” a food supply officer told Express. He added that it was normal to see an increase in smuggling during the first and second weeks of every month when rice is distributed through the PDS network.
The officer suggested strengthening the presence of RPF or Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel at entry and exit points of stations, apart from increasing regular patrolling.
Senior divisional Security Commissioner (RPF), Chennai division, Louis Amudan, said steps are being taken to discourage smuggling through trains. “Permanent teams, consisting of four personnel, have been set up and deployed on two routes, namely Chennai-Gummidipoondi and Arakonnam-Renigunta,” he said.
RPF recovery of rice bags
2016: 4,748 bags, containing 1.36 lakh kg. Total seizure is valued at C6.80 lakh (market rate)
2017 (up to July 26): 2,657 bags, containing 75,452 kg. Total seizure is valued at C3.77 lakh (market rate)