Lok Sabha Question No. 1806 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: Sexual Harassment of Female Passengers
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: PRATIMA MONDAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1806 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2015

## SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF FEMALE PASSENGERS

1806. SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  railways  has  conducted  any  survey  regarding sexual harassment of female passengers and other anti-social activities in the un-reserved compartments across the country; (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  number  of  such  incidents reported during the last three years specially major cases; (c) the  number  of  persons/culprits  the  railways  has  identified  in major cases over the last  three  years  and  how  many  of  them have been punished; and the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Railways  to  protect  the female
- (d) passengers of un-reserved compartments specially passengers?

ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( SHRI MANOJ SINHA )

(a) to (d):   A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1806 BY SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  09.12.2015  REGARDING  SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF FEMALE PASSENGERS.

(a) to (c): The  cases  of  crime  against  women  passengers  including sexual  harassment against  women  passengers are reported to, registered  and  investigated  by  Government  Railway  Police  (GRP)  of the  concerned  State  Government.    The  offenders  are  arrested  and prosecuted by the GRP. The details of crime against  women passengers reported in unreserved compartments  of trains and number of persons arrested and convicted during the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 over Indian Railways are as under:

|   Year |   No. of incidents of rape |   No. of incidents of eve-teasing |   No. of incidents of molestation |   Total No. of persons arrested |   Total No. of persons convicted |
|--------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|   2012 |                          4 |                                20 |                                27 |                              66 |                               24 |
|   2013 |                          8 |                                22 |                                95 |                             169 |                                9 |
|   2014 |                          2 |                                19 |                               112 |                             161 |                                3 |

(d): Policing on Railways is a State subject and prevention of crime, registration  of  cases  and  their  investigation  in  Railway  premises  as well as on running trains is, therefore, the statutory responsibility of the  State  Governments,  which  they  discharge  through  Government Railway Police (GRP). Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts  of  Government  Railway  Police  by  deploying  its  staff  for escorting  of  important  trains  in  affected  areas  and  access  control duties at important and sensitive stations.

Besides, the following steps are being taken by the Railways to provide maximum security to passengers-

1. An Integrated Security System consisting of surveillance of vulnerable stations through Close Circuit Television Camera Network,  Access  Control  and  Anti-Sabotage  Checks  has  been finalized  to  improve  surveillance  mechanism  over  202  sensitive railway stations.

2. On  vulnerable  and  identified  routes/  sections,  2000  trains  (on  an average) are escorted by Railway  Protection Force  daily, in addition to 2200 trains escorted by Government Railway Police of different States daily.
3. RPF  holds  regular  coordination  meetings  with  State  Police  at  all levels  to  ensure  proper  registration  and  investigation  of  crime  by Government Railway Police.
4. RPF Crime prevention and detection squads and special teams are formed to keep vigil on the criminals in trains/ stations to prevent crime.
5. Joint drives by RPF/GRP and Commercial Department are conducted from time to time against the unauthorized entry of passengers in trains and railway premises.
6. Mass  media  programmes  are  being  launched  by  zonal  railways  to create awareness regarding crime against women  passengers through electronic and print media.
7. Passenger outreach programmes  have  been  launched  including announcement through loudhailers / PA system as well as pasting of stickers providing the Security Help Line Number 182 of RPF Security Control Room for security related assistance.
8. All  the  ladies  special  trains  running  Metropolitan  cities  are  being escorted by lady RPF constable.
9. The  ladies  compartments  of  local  trains  in  Metropolitan  cities  are being  escorted  by  RPF  and  GRP  during  peak/non  peak  hours.  Staff deployment is made during late night and early morning local trains to ensure better security to the lady passengers.

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