Increasing crimes at Railway stations and also on the running trains, especially in Haridwar and Dehradun districts have made the State police administration sit up in alarm. To arrest the worsening the trend and to strengthen Government Railway Police, State police have sent a proposal for creation of posts for 287 personnel to the State Government. However, the state government cannot issue a Government order on the matter till the Centre gives the nod of approval.
A Haridwar-based RPF official who declined to give monthly or yearly statistics of the crimes being reported from the Railway stations and the running trains, however, said that crimes go on the spiral when large number of people from across the country throng Haridwar on special occasions.
As of now, GRP is facing human resources crunch, resulting in GRP Personnel being deputed only on the railway stations. “Now, with the State Government mulling to increase manpower, security would be provided to the trains too while they are running within the state’s boundary,” the officer said.
Notably, millions of pilgrims swarm into the holy city of Haridwar by trains to take dip in holy Ganga all round the year. But spiraling cases of theft, pick-pocketing and other crimes on the moving trains aside from those committed on the platforms, robbing the hapless who are stranded there, seem to be dampening their religious enthusiasm.
The administration is worried with a possible decline in the number of pilgrims.
The senior police officers are doubly worried with Ardh Kumbh slated in January next year drawing near. Crores of pilgrims from across the country and abroad are expected to throng Haridwar during the momentous religious congregation. They are worried, wondering whether such crimes continuing unabated would adversely impact the expected turnout of pilgrims. If that happens it would be a blemish on all in the administration and police of the State, said a senior police official.
Considering this, the state police have sent a proposal for creation of posts of 287 personnel to the State Government. The State Government had already released a Government order (GO) on creating separate cadre for GRP, but its structure is yet to be drafted.
The police headquarters have recently submitted a proposal for creation of posts in GRP to the state government which is under consideration, said a State Government official. The proposal has been sent for the creation of posts like one of SP, two of DSPs, four of inspectors, five of sub-inspectors, 29 of head constables, 154 of constables, one of inspector (M), three of SI (M) and four of ASI (M), said State additional director general of police (administration) Ram Singh Meena.
The Central Government would give fifty percent of the funds required to strengthen GRP to the State Government.