Thaindian News

Kolkata, Oct 28 (IANS) The West Bengal government will submit proposals to the railway ministry to step up security at various railway stations in the state, a top police official said Wednesday.
“We’ve decided to submit a three-point proposal to the railways ministry seeking deployment of additional RPF (Railway Protection Force) personnel in our state. This apart, we’ll also ask the railways to take up track sanitisation drives and to run pilot engines on railway tracks before the journey of all long-distance trains,” Additional Director General of Police (Railways) Dilip Mitra told IANS.

The move comes after the Maoist-backed People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) Tuesday held up the Rajdhani Express for more than four hours at Banstala Halt station near West Midnapore’s Jhargram station.

The over-500 PCAPA members squatted on the tracks and forced out the train’s drivers at the halt station near the Antapani jungle.

After several tension-filled hours, which saw a police team proceeding to the spot ambushed by the Left-wing rebels, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and state policemen finally took over the train.

A high-level meeting was convened by state Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty here Wednesday to review the security situation.

Besides Mitra, the meeting was attended by Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen, Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh and other senior state police officers.

“We took the decision in the meeting and will submit our proposals to the railways ministry shortly,” Mitra said.

Asked if the additional RPF personnel would be deployed along the railway tracks, he said, “The railways would take that decision according to their need and convenience.