Lok Sabha Question No. 5394 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Prosecution and Protection of Railway Property
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Anil Yeshwant Desai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5394 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026

## PROSECUTION AND PROTECTION OF RAILWAY PROPERTY

## 5394. SHRI ANIL YESHWANT DESAI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  Railway  Courts  and  Railway  Protection  Force  (RPF)  are responsible for prosecution and protection of railway property etc.;
- (b) if so, the details of the number of persons caught by RPF and prosecuted in railway courts during the last five years, year-wise;
- (c) the details of the number of stone pelting incidents on railways during the last five years and the persons caught by RPF with the help of police;
- (d) the details of the number of incidents of removal of fish plates/placing stones on railway tracks causing derailments during the last five years, place and location-wise; and
- (e) the details of precautionary action taken by railway authorities to identify persons/places and prevent such activities?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (e):  The  protection  of  railway  property  is  entrusted  to  the  Railway Protection Force (RPF). The RPF is empowered to register cases of theft, dishonest misappropriation, abetment, connivance, and conspiracy against railway  property  under  the  provisions  of  Railway  Property  (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1966. The cases are registered against the offender and enquiry  is  conducted,  followed  by  submission  of  a  complaint  to  the competent court i.e the court of the Special Railway Magistrate and in few states, in the district courts where  special railway courts are not established.

§

During  the  last  five  years  (2021-2025),  a  total  of  52,494  persons  were arrested  under  the  provisions  of  the  RP(UP)  Act,  1966.  Out  of  these, complaints were filed against 50,432 offenders in the respective courts.

During the last five years (2021-2025), a total of 12,157 incidents of stone pelting were registered, in which 8,441 persons were arrested by RPF/GRP.

During the last five years (2021-2025), only three incidents of derailment attributable  to  miscreant  activities  occurred  on  Indian  Railways  i.e.  one each in the Waltair Division of East Coast Railway, the Jhansi Division of North Central Railway, and the Chennai Division of Southern Railway.

Further, in order to prevent incident of any criminal tampering with railway tracks, following steps are being taken by  railways:-

- i. Regular State Level Security Committee of Railways (SLSCR) meetings are being conducted, which have been constituted in each State under the  chairmanship  of  DGPs/Commissioner  of  police  of  respective States/Union territory with representatives of RPF, GRP and Intelligence units. Further close liaison is made by RPF with the State Police/GRP  authorities  at  all  levels  to  control  Crime,  registration  of cases,  their  investigation  and  safe  running  of  trains  with  focus  on sabotage incidents, sharing of intelligence etc.
- ii. Besides Central & State Intelligence agencies, Intelligence unit of RPF i.e. Crime Intelligence Branch(CIB) & Special Intelligence Branch(SIB) have been deployed to collect intelligence and take necessary action in coordination with concerned authorities for detection and prevention of any criminal activity.
- iii. Frequent patrolling of identified black spots and vulnerable sections are being done by Railways, RPF, GRP & Civil Police.
- iv. Regular drives are conducted to remove loose and scattered materials lying  near  to  the  railway  tracks  which  can  potentially  be  used  by miscreant for putting obstruction on railway track.

- v. The  people  living  near  railway  track  are  being  sensitized  about  the consequences  of  putting  foreign  material  on  track,  removing  rail components, making reels etc. and are requested to keep watch and report any suspected activity immediately.
- vi. Surveillance is also kept using drones and putting solar powered stand alone CCTV cameras.

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