Mumbai: Western Railway To Use Ticket Checkers’ Body Cam Footage As Court Evidence After Assaults On 2 Women TCs

Mumbai, November 4, 2026: With ticket-checking staff facing repeated attacks while collecting fines from commuters, Western Railway has decided to use recordings from body cameras worn by ticket checkers (TCs) as evidence in court.

The move comes after two women ticket checkers were allegedly assaulted at Kandivali and Andheri stations within three weeks. The railway has begun a 15-day special drive, deploying 15 body cameras across stations and trains, with officials reporting a sharp rise in the detection of ticketless passengers.

In the first three days, the teams caught around 1,400 passengers daily, against the usual 300-odd. The drive, which began on October 31, will continue till November 14.

The cameras are expected to help establish what happened during confrontations between ticket checkers and passengers, particularly when arguments arise over fines or allegations of misconduct.

“At present there are 15 such body cams that are available with us for use. The recordings will not only help us as documented evidence but also be used for training purposes. We will be procuring at least 1,000 such body cams that will suffice our entire ticket checking staff,” a Western Railway official said.

The railway first proposed the use of body cameras in mid-2025 and tested different models, including those used by private hospitals and shopping malls. Initial trials were hampered by cameras heating up during prolonged recording.

Officials said the latest models are lightweight, durable and cost around Rs 10,000 each. The recordings are also expected to help train staff in handling difficult situations.

Two Women Ticket Checkers Allegedly Assaulted

The latest incident occurred at Andheri on November 4, when a woman ticket checker, Harpreet Kaur, 42, was allegedly bitten and scratched by a passenger travelling without a ticket.

According to the FIR, Kaur had boarded a Virar fast train at Bandra at 8.26 am and caught the woman, who was wearing a green kurta, without a ticket. Both got off at Andheri at 8.42 am, where the passenger was asked to pay a fine of Rs 510. She allegedly asked for a digital scanner to make the payment, but an argument followed and she attacked the TC.

On October 16, a woman TC at Kandivali was allegedly assaulted during a similar check. Both women fell and their clothes were partially torn. The incident triggered a crowd gathering outside the ticket-checking office, demanding a public apology.

Special Checking Drive Across Western Railway

Western Railway subsequently conducted five days of intensive checks at Kandivali, catching 800-1,000 ticketless passengers daily. The current drive includes AC local trains, where 200-300 passengers are caught daily.

Staff in black jackets and body cameras have been deployed at Borivali, Andheri and Bandra, with passengers caught without tickets assembled in designated areas. For ticket checkers, the cameras could provide a record of encounters that otherwise depend on conflicting accounts.

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Key Figures

• 15 body cameras currently in use

• 1,000 cameras planned for procurement

• Rs 10,000 approximate cost per camera

• 1,400 ticketless passengers caught daily during the drive

• 300 usual daily detection

• October 31-November 14: Special checking drive

• Rs 510 fine in both reported assault cases

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