'Romeos' in trains set for tough travel

Chennai, Jun 25 (UNI) Women commuters, travelling on suburban trains, can now breathe easy with the Government Railway Police (GRP) going tough against eve-teasers.

Four special teams would keep an hawk's eye on 'Train Romeos' leering at women, making lewd gestures, passing obscene comments or getting physical, DIG Railways Sivanandi told reporters here today.

Each team would have five male and as many female police personnel. Complaint boxes have been put up at all major railway stations, including Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore and Tambaram, to help women relucant to complain in person.

Inaugurating this first-of-its-kind facility to improve women passengers' security at the always-crowded Central Railway Station, Mr Sivanandi said immediately after receipt of the complaint, the GRP would ascertain the details and alert the escort police travelling on the particular train.

The escort police would reach the passenger and take action. In case there was no escort personnel in the moving train, the control room would alert the next approaching railway police station to ensure proper assistance was provided to the victim.

The special teams would also operate in trains passing through Velachery, Gummidipoondi and Arakonam.

Women commuters, in times of any emergency, could call 99625 00500, he said.

The control room could handle four calls at a time and the facility would be made available round-the-clock.

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