Mumbai: In a sweeping month-long crackdown, Central Railway’s Railway Protection Force (RPF) apprehended 8,184 offenders under various provisions of the Railway Act in October 2025, recovering Rs 38.03 lakh in penalties. Officials say the intensified action is part of a broader push to secure stations, trains and railway assets amid rising concerns over passenger safety.
According to data released by Central Railway recently, the RPF’s intelligence-driven operations led to targeted raids, arrests and on-ground vigilance across multiple divisions.
Key crackdowns include misuse of women’s coaches, where 243 male passengers were booked under Section 162 of the Railway Act for unlawfully entering coaches reserved for women, with penalties totalling Rs 62,200. In addition, 59 persons were arrested under the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act for theft and illegal possession of railway materials, and authorities recovered stolen items along with fines amounting to Rs 4.62 lakh.
The RPF booked 17 individuals for carrying liquor, ganja and tobacco products worth Rs 8.21 lakh, underscoring the force’s ongoing battle against smuggling on trains. Apart from that a total of 161 offenders involved in theft of passengers’ belongings and other criminal activities on trains and platforms were arrested. The swift action by the RPF helped in recovering stolen items and ensuring safer travel for commuters.
Vande Bharat trains, Rajdhani Express trains, Mail & Express trains and Suburban trains are escorted by RPF personnel for ensuring safety & security of passengers especially women.
The RPF has increased the number of quick-response teams to react immediately to any reported incidents on trains or at stations, ensuring minimal response time.
According to CR, safety awareness drives and educational programs are being conducted at major stations to inform passengers about precautionary measures and reporting protocols.
"Coordination with city police and traffic authorities has been strengthened to ensure seamless handling of security breaches and emergencies" said an official adding that mobile applications and emergency helplines have been enhanced to allow passengers to report suspicious activity instantly.
According to a senior officer, RPF personnel are posted in the first and last coaches of Suburban trains during peak hours to keep a watch on snatchers, who normally strike when the train starts to roll out from the stations. He added that ladies’ coaches of Suburban trains are escorted by security staff during night hours to ensure the safety of female passengers.
Special attention is being given to senior citizens, differently-abled travellers, and children, with dedicated personnel assisting them during boarding, travel, and disembarkation.
Passenger feedback mechanisms are being actively monitored to continually improve safety measures, with periodic audits to evaluate the effectiveness of the security grid.
Central Railway officials emphasized that these measures aim not only to deter crime but also to instill confidence among passengers, particularly women, ensuring a safer and more comfortable travel experience throughout the network.
Ladies’ suburban coaches are escorted by security staff at night for passenger safety
RPF deployed in first and last suburban coaches during peak hours to to keep a watch on snatchers, who normally strike when the train starts to roll out from the stations
Most of the time, after 9.30–10 pm, criminal-minded men board the local trains from Churchgate. Until the train reaches Mahalaxmi or Dadar, there are very few women commuters in the compartment. Criminal-minded men sometimes try to take advantage of the short distance between Churchgate and Marine Lines because there are very few women commuters in the train.
Deepa Kukreja, a CA who lives in Ulhasnagar and travels daily by local train, said, “Mumbai’s local trains are becoming worse day by day. Every day I start my journey by train, but I feel unsure whether I will return home safely or not, this is how bad the situation has become. The railway authorities and security departments claim that they have deployed police, but I have never seen any police in the ladies’ compartment. Many times, especially at night, men enter the ladies’ compartment, which is very scary.”
Sarang Morya, who lives in Dombivali and travels daily from Dombivali to South Mumbai, said, “As a commuter, I feel security and crime are the two major concerns. Speaking about crimes, every day several commuters lose their mobile phones or get them stolen. Sometimes, gold ornaments like chains, mangalsutras or bracelets are snatched, and women lose their small purses as well. Authorities are taking action, but compared to the number of passengers, the security presence on local trains is very low.”
54 “Smart Saheli” WhatsApp groups formed for Mumbai suburban trains; 23,338 women actively participating
CCTV cameras installed in all 788 ladies coaches of EMU rakes.
Emergency Talk Back (ETB) systems installed in all 788 ladies coaches.
243 persons booked under Section 162 of Railway Act for entering women’s coaches; Rs.62,200 recovered as penalty.
17 persons booked for illegal possession of liquor, ganja, and tobacco worth Rs.8.21 lakh.
161 persons apprehended for theft and other crimes against passengers.
59 persons booked under Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act; Rs.4.62 lakh recovered along with stolen items.
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