With 66 percent of local train coaches on Western Railway, covered under the web of close circuit cameras (CCTVs); the authorities are looking at expediting the installation of CCTVs on its 123 kms long suburban network from Churchgate to Dahanu. This comes after the incidence of a man who slashed a woman's throat at Charni Road on March 11-12; few days after International Women's Day was celebrated.
According to officials from Western Railway, they have already installed CCTVs in 139 coaches meant for women commuters out of around 211 women coaches planned on the Churchgate-Virar 60-kms route. "We are working out on installing more CCTVs inside ladies coaches of local trains," said a WR official.
This is an important safety feature especially to keep tab on crime or a deterrent for criminals or helps in even catching culprits with help of CCTVs. The rail officials claim that these CCTVs are high definition with 4k technology that grabs faces without getting pixilated. The railway police claimed that they already have visuals of this culprit who slashed the woman at Charni Road.
"These CCTVs can capture the similarity of a culprit if his/her description matches at 80 percent of the information that we have," explained a RPF officer from Western Railway.
On March 11, the woman was travelling by local train from Churchgate station. When the train reached Charni Road station, a man entered the women's compartment and attacked the victim with a sharp object. The culprit is on the run.
The CCTV footage of the incident shows the accused getting off the train after stabbing the woman. The Government Railway Police (GRP) have registered a case in this regard and are searching for the accused on the basis of CCTV footage. The motive for the attack is yet to be ascertained. There are 2729 CCTVs under the integrated security system on the Churchgate-Virar route. And according to WR officials, in February, out of the total 57 odd cases, at least 27 cases were solved with help of these CCTVs.
