Thrissur Railway Passengers' Association, TRPA is the confluence of all the stake holders who are interested in the development of Railway facilities in and around Thrissur. Naturally, all the people who avail Railway facilities from Thrissur and other neighbouring stations are automatically the members of this association. Due to the historic reasons, commuters from Thrissur towards Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Palakkad sides form the active group. TRPA always stands for meeting the public demands and this process is well supported by Railway Men, Political Leaders and the Media in Thrissur. The tireless efforts by TRPA in achieving the long standing basic requirements of Thrissur are well recognised and appreciated by one and all. TRPA is committed to continue its service to the society at large, cutting across all divisions. "Our prime focus is on the sustainable improvement of rail service in the country to world class levels with special emphasis on Thrissur"

Monday 9 February 2015

`Stoned' rlys look for a way ou

Police Plan To Form Jagratha Samithis To Prevent Pelting Cases.

Even as railway authorities in Ernakulam grapple with issues such as huge crowds and punctuality , officials these days are dealing with a problem which is posing a threat to life and limbs.
Incidents of miscreants pelting stones at moving trains have increased considerably in the recent past, injuring both passengers and loco pilots.
Over the past three months, three major stone pelting cases have been reported by the Ernakulam railway police alone.
“The number of cases registered may not be that alarming. However, most cases go unreported. All these three cases were filed as railway staff had witnessed it. At least one stone pelting incident at moving trains takes place every week,“ said a railway source.
When contacted, the railway protection force (RPF) as well as the Kerala railway po lice officers admitted that stone pelting was one of the most tricky issues that they were dealing with these days.
Most of the accused are youngsters who fall in the 15-30 years age group. Also, all the accused are committing the crime just for fun, mostly in an inebriated condition and with out knowing the consequences of their actions. Since most railway stretches are deserted, particularly during the late evening hours, it is difficult to trace them, say cops. Almost all the incidents took place between 5pm and 9 pm.
“Even so, we have tracked down the culprits in two cases, while the third case, which took place at Nettoor on February 3, is being investigated,“ said sub-inspector C Vinod, Ernakulam railway police station.
Most of the cases have been reported from Pulleppady , Nettoor, Kalamassery , Aluva and Karukutty areas. Authorities have now decided to form jagratha samithis to educate locals about the harm caused by stone pelting.The samithis are expected to help in checking such incidents. The plan is to engage people's representatives, residents and local police in the initiative.

Meanwhile, passengers are of the opinion that authorities should improve safety measures. “Awareness campaigns have limitations. Railway authorities should install window grills like the ones used in Mumbai local trains.The delay in finding a permanent solution is compromising the lives of innocent railway passengers,“said P Krishnakumar, general secretary , Thrissur railway passengers association (TRPA).

If convicted, the accused will be booked under sections 150, 151, 152 and or 153 of the Railway Act and shall be punishable with imprisonment for life, or with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years.
(Times of India dt 10-2-2015)

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