Railways Uses Face Recognition System To Curb Crimes At Stations, In Trains

Regular watch is kept on criminals through CCNTS/ICJS at posts and regular drives are carried out at station premises to catch hold of offenders.

New Delhi: In a bid to curb criminal cases at railway stations and inside trains, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been using Face Recognition System (FRS) technology to detect such cases and take action against culprits.

A senior railway official told ETV Bharat that the Railways has been doing deep scrutiny of CCTV footage to identify criminals for detection of cases and surveillance through FRS over activities of habitual criminals and it is a standard practice.

"Besides this, regular watch is kept on criminals through Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System/Interoperable Criminal Justice System (CCNTS/ICJS) at posts and regular drives are carried out at station premises to catch hold of offenders under various sections of the Railway Act," the railway official said.

According to data from the Western Railway, around 528 criminal and seven robbery cases have been detected with the help of FRS technology and CCTVs. Over 6,200 cases were registered by RPF and GRP and more than 1,300 accused have been arrested from January to September.

Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer, Western Railway said, "RPF has carried out several special initiatives, drives and operations from January to September to help passengers, save their lives, and took action against touts, miscreants, and put criminals behind bars."

Using modern technology for the safety of women passengers, the Railway has formed Sakhi WhatsApp groups to assist women travellers to solve security-related problems faced by them. To enhance safety features in the train, the talkback system are installed in the ladies compartments to communicate with the guard of the train in case of any emergency following which RPF of WR has arrested 39 persons in 45 cases of molestation and six persons in five rape cases till September.

RPF deployment:

RPF has taken several steps in the prevention of criminal cases. These steps include additional deployment of security force staff at the platforms section. They have deployed 'Meri Saheli' teams in selected trains and started 'E-Meri Saheli' teams at major railway stations for the effective security of female passengers travelling alone.

Awareness for passengers:

Several Short Videos have been released to create awareness among passengers and commuters regarding the many ways they can face mishaps during their journey. The Short Videos give a message to passengers to remain alert and cautious while travelling.

CCTV Surveillance:

Near the ladies' Compartments, CCTV surveillance monitoring is done and RPF/GRP staff are also deployed.

Online Assistance:

The Railways has provided online assistance on X, an online web portal and 139 Helpline are available round-the-clock to help women passengers.