Questions over safety in women’s compartments after recent death

BENGALURU: Many women passengers are questioning their safety in the women’s compartment after the death of a woman Forest Department staffer. Recently, a female passenger was found dead in suspicious circumstances in the women’s coach of a train, which is reserved fully reserved.

A stenographer, Annapurna, working in Aranya Bhavan, was robbed on a moving train and murdered while she was returning home from Shivamogga to the city after attending departmental examinations. She had gone there to supervise the exam.

Police suspected that some miscreants had committed murder and they are investigating. People are now blaming the railway police saying it was a failure of the railway department.

There has been a growing demand to enhance safety for women passengers on trains. In an earlier instance, some miscreants murdered a woman and stole her gold jewellery on the Shivamogga-Yeshwantpur train, leading to women passengers worrying about their safety. The latest incident has heightened anxiety among women passengers who are now demanding more safety measures.

A passenger, Ramya said, “Now, questions are being raised whether the women’s compartment is safe enough. There should be an immediate investigation into this incident. Safety should be increased inside the train. Regular coaches should be increased during holidays. Women’s coaches be in the middle of the train”, she demanded.

Railway Additional Divisional Manager Kusuma Hariprasad said the department has also taken stringent action following the incident so that female passengers can travel without any fear. “The Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) have increased patrolling in trains and railway stations during the night. The department is also planning to install new CCTV cameras in about 72 stations”, she added.