Lok Sabha Question No. 4179 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Drug Trafficking on Railway Premises
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Sudama Prasad

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4179

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## DRUG TRAFFICKING ON RAILWAY PREMISES

## 4179. SHRI SUDAMA PRASAD:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the total quantity of ganja seized from trains and railway station premises
- in 2025 compared with 2024 and 2023;
- (b) the number of cases registered and arrests made in each of these years;
- (c) the measures taken/being taken by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and other agencies to strengthen vigilance against drug trafficking on trains and at railway stations; and
- (d) whether the Government has data on narcotic substance seizures made by RPF across all zones in the country for the last three years and if so, the details thereof, year-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (d): The cases of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) are  registered  by  Government  Railway  Police  (GRP),  Narcotics  Control Bureau  (NCB),  Directorate  of  Revenue  Intelligence  (DRI)  and  other  Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). The details of NDPS cases registered by GRP over  railways  are  published  state-wise  in  'Crime  in  India'  by  the  National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The data is not published commodity-wise such as Ganja, Morphine etc. The data relating to seizures of NDPS made by other LEAs i.e. DRI, NCB, NIA and CBI are also published in 'Crime in India' wherein railway-specific seizures are not mentioned.

Railway  Protection  Force  (RPF)  has  been  empowered  to  conduct  search, seize and make arrest under the provisions of Section 42 & 67 of NDPS Act, 1985  through  Gazette  notification  dated  11.04.2019.  However,  RPF  is  not empowered to register and investigate cases under NDPS Act. Therefore, the NDPS recovered and persons arrested by RPF are handed over to GRP or other empowered LEAs for further course of legal action.

The following measures are being taken by RPF against drug trafficking on trains and at stations:

1.  Regular coordination meetings are conducted with NCB, GRP and local police to enhance operational efficiency in identifying, intercepting and dismantling drug related criminal activities.
2.  RPF is part of Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) and actively involved in action against drug trafficking.
3.  X-Ray  baggage  scanners  have  been  installed  at  important  railway stations for screening of luggage.
4. Surveillance  is  kept  through  CCTV  cameras  provided  in  a  number  of coaches and at railway stations.
5.  Special drives are conducted on identified vulnerable routes and trains which are prone to transportation of NDPS.
6. Trained  sniffer  dogs  are  utilized  for  checking  of  NDPS  in  trains  and railway station.
7.  Public  awareness and sensitization  campaigns are also  organized  to educate  passengers  and  railway  commuters  and  encourage  them  to report suspicious activities.

During the year 2023, 2024 and 2025, RPF has detected 1,220, 1,392 and 1,716 cases of NDPS respectively and handed over to the empowered LEAs for further legal action.

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