Mumbai: Women commuters appear to be
unsafe travelling in suburban trains, considered lifeline of
Mumbai, with incidents of chain snatching and bag lifting
showing an upward curve in 2009 compared to previous year.
Incidents of molestation also did not see any downfall
as 12 cases were reported in 2009. In the previous year too
the number of such cases was the same.
The annual crime rate, compiled in 2009 by Government
Railway Police, show that 452 chain snatching incidents were
reported in the suburban railway route compared to 429 cases
in 2008. In these cases, most victims were women.
A total of 201 bag lifting cases were reported in 2009
as against 151 in 2008, police said adding that bag snatching
or bag cutting incidents were seven in 2009 while 5 such cases
were reported its previous year.
In the backdrop of crime graph showing an upward trend,
particularly against women, Government Railway Police
Commissioner Tukaram Chavan assured they were doing their best
to ensure safe journey for the commuters.
"The number of commuters travelling in suburban trains
is increasing day by day where as the strength of policemen is
insufficient and this becomes difficult to handle the things.
However, all passengers including women should feel safe while
travelling in trains as we have stepped up our vigilance at
all places," Chavan said.
The crime detection rate of the GRP has also come down
from 75 to 71 per cent. In 2009, a total of 2,343 case were
reported of which 1,675 cases were detected. In 2008, 1657
cases of 2212 were detected.
A total of 2076 theft cases including chain, watch,
bag snatching, pick pocketing and bag lifting were reported
in 2009 against 1938 incidents in 2008.
The commissioner also emphasised on the need of 360 or
180 degree angle CCTVs to be installed at major railway
stations instead of CCTVs which could catch only one fixed
angle.
"We should have wide angle CCTVs which would enable us
in identifying the movements of suspicious persons and
detecting various cases," he said.
The suburban railway system is spread over an expanse
of 472.66 km with 6.8 million commuters travelling everyday.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, January 14, 2010, 00:43