Kochi: Absence of surveillance cameras inside the Alappuzha-Kannur executive express in Kerala had caused delay in cracking the train attack case on Sunday night.
Cameras inside the train would have helped the cops to get more leads to nab the criminal who splashed inflamable article on a passenger before alighting at Elathur. Three persons including a two year old infant were found dead on the railway track.
The investigators had to bank a CCTV image which was not that of the criminal, media reports said. Finally, a caricature was made out with help of a witness to reach the criminal. When even petty establishments and domestic households use cameras to ensure their safety, why are the railways shying away from installing cameras inside the trains?
When the newsskerala.com contacted a senior Railway official, he said that only priority trains are having such cameras while those like Alappuzha- Kannur executive express do not have any. This shows the discrimination shown by railways to elite class travelers and ordinary passengers. It was in a passenger train a criminal raped and killed Soumya about a decade back near Shoranur. There was no witness to the crime as the victim was traveling alone and the criminal took advantage of it and executed the crime.
The investigators had to struggle hard to zero in on the criminal and put him behind the bars. The law enforcement inside the railway station is archaic. The state police and the Railway Protection Force personnel have the responsibility to take care of the security the railway property and the travelers. In most of the places the two forces have no mutual coordination.
Almost all the railway stations are safe haven for stray and rabid dogs. It is common to find cops chatting and using mobile phones while on duty which the Kerala High Court has banned.
It is common to find beggars travel in trains seeking alms. It is high time for the railways to increasing security of the passengers along with increasing the ticket fares.
