HC asks RPF to ramp up vigilance in women’s compartment

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court is learnt to have directed the Railway Police Force (RPF) to increase vigilance to combat the “menace of male passengers” travelling in the women’s compartment in trains.

It was learnt that the Division Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya was hearing a petition filed by an advocate alleging that unauthorised male passengers were boarding and travelling in the compartments reserved exclusively for female passengers. It was stated that there had been various instances where the male passengers boarded the compartments reserved exclusively for female passengers leading to untoward incidents taking place.

The court is learnt to have directed the RPF to make public announcements that unauthorised men travelling in reserved compartments for women will be prosecuted. The court also ordered that vigilance be increased by the force.

The court is learnt to have said: “While placing on record the effective steps taken by the RPF, we observe that the frequency of conducting such drives by the RPF should be increased so that this menace can be avoided apart from making announcements in the public address system in all railway stations that if male passengers travel in compartments reserved exclusively for female passengers, they will be prosecuted.”

According to a written instruction from the senior divisional security commissioner, RPF/Eastern Railway/Sealdah to the standing counsel appearing for the Railways, from January 2024 to June 2024 as many as 2877 persons have been arrested and prosecuted under Section 162 of Railway Act from Matribhoomi Local trains based on complaints lodged through a portal. Additionally, it was submitted that during the same period, as many as 3477 persons have been arrested and prosecuted from the ‘Ladies’ compartment of all trains, including Matribhoomi Local trains.

The court held that the sheer number of arrests would show that it was indeed a ‘menace’ and thus vigilance would need to be increased.