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NF Rly steps up security measures

By R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, May 6 � With the Government of India sounding a nationwide alert to thwart possible terrorist attacks on trains, the NF Railway has stepped up security system all the major stations and the personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have been kept on high alert.

The passenger trains and the railway stations have always been considered vulnerable to terrorist attacks and in the past, a number of attacks on trains took place in Assam. Following the nationwide alert, a quick reaction team with armed personnel has been formed in Guwahati to rush to any place whenever required to deal with any eventuality and the team has been asked to be ready round the clock.

The Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the NF Railway, SS Hajong, told The Assam Tribune that special security measures have been introduced at the Guwahati railway station and all the 16 close circuit cameras are now functioning round the clock. He said that the platform, entry and exit points and the strategic locations of the station are monitored round the clock. He said that metal detector frames have been installed and the security

personnel are provided with hand-held metal detectors to check the baggage of the passengers. He revealed that all the trains originating from Guwahati are checked thoroughly before departure and sniffer dog squads have been pressed into service for the purpose.

With more than 50 trains leaving Assam everyday and thousands of passengers entering the Guwahati railway station at any given time of the day, it is almost impossible to check the belongings of each and every passenger and the security personnel are trying to make full use of the CCTV cameras and metal detector door frames to keep a close watch on the passengers. Railway sources admitted that the cooperation from the passengers is vital for maintaining security and efforts are being made to create mass awareness. Sources said that in addition to launching awareness drives through the mass media, the passengers are requested through the public address systems at the stations to look for suspicious objects and to inform the security personnel if they find any unclaimed baggage or anyone moving around suspiciously.

Railway sources said that in the vulnerable sections, the passenger trains are preceded by goods trains or security special engines and track patrolling has been intensified. The RPF and GRP personnel at the major stations including New Jalpaiguri, Rangiya, Lumding, Dimapur, Tinsukia, Dinrugarh, etc, are kept on high alert round the clock, while, CCTV cameras have been installed at New Jalpaiguri.

The Railway officials are maintaining close coordination with the State governments for sharing of any input regarding movements of militants as it is not possible for the RPF and the GRP alone to prevent terrorist strikes without active support of the State police forces and other forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations.

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