Palakkad division launches initiative to ensure safe travel for women passengers
Dedicated RPF teams have been deployed at five major stations in the division to identify solo women travellers, sensitise them about safety precautions, and share emergency contact details, including the Rail Madad helpline (139) and digital grievance redressal platforms such as Instagram and the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).
This apart, the Railways has leveraged modern technology to enhance the safety of women passengers. Passenger feedback is also being collected to further strengthen the programme, officials said.
Security measures
Madhukar Roat, Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager, said that the safety and security of passengers, particularly women travelling alone, is of paramount importance. 'With initiatives like Meri Saheli and strengthened security measures across stations and trains, we are committed to ensuring that every journey is safe, secure, and comfortable. These efforts are being continuously reinforced through the dedication of the RPF personnel and the cooperation of the passengers,' he said.
A total of 64 women RPF personnel have been nominated for the mission, with an average of 11 officers attending designated trains each day. They interact with nearly 230 solo women passengers daily. In 2025 alone, the initiative has benefited 37,276 women passengers and has received widespread appreciation.
Security has also been tightened across the division with additional measures. All major night trains are now escorted by mixed RPF teams equipped with body-worn cameras to ensure safety and accountability. Joint RPF-Government Railway Police (GRP) patrols during peak hours and intensified surprise checks in ladies' coaches have been carried out, leading to the apprehension of 971 offenders this year.
Helpline
The officials said that publicising the Rail Madad helpline contributed to timely interventions. In 2025, 38 complaints were lodged through the helpline and were resolved promptly, with offenders either detained or arrested.
The RPF has appealed to passengers to cooperate with the security personnel, follow safety guidelines, and use official platforms to report concerns. The division reiterated its commitment to strengthening women's safety across the network and ensuring that every journey remains safe, secure, and comfortable.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The tragedy has sparked anger and grief across the city. Family members and relatives of the victim staged protests at the school, demanding justice and holding the institution accountable for the incident. Here's a closer look at what the chats revealed, how the incident unfolded, and the outrage that has since put the school under the scanner. The shocking chat Soon after the crime, screenshots of the Instagram conversation between the accused and his friend surfaced. In the chilling exchange, the accused confessed to stabbing his senior and described the chain of events that led to the killing. Friend: Bhai tumne kuch kiya aj? (Brother, did you do something today?) Accused: Haan. (Yes.) Friend: Bhai tumne chaku mara tha? (Brother, did you stab someone?) Accused: Teko kisne bola (Who told you?) Screenshots of the Instagram conversation between the accused and his friend surfaced, in which the former confessed to stabbing his senior and described the chain of events that led to the killing. Image courtesy: News18 Friend: Call kro ek min. Call pe baat karte (Please call for a minute. Let's talk.) Accused: Nahi nahi (No, no.) Friend: Chat pe ye sabh nahi. Merko tera naam pehle aaya dimag mai. Isliye terko kiya (Not over the chat. Your name came to my mind first so I texted you.) Accused: Abhi bada bhai hain saath me. Usko nahi khabar. Bataya kisne! (I am with my brother. He doesn't know what happened today. Who told him?) Friend: Vo mar gaya shayad se. (He (the victim) has died.) Accused: Hainnn. Kon tha wese? (What? Who was he?) Friend: Abe chaku tune mara tha? Vo puch raha hu. (I am asking if you stabbed him.) STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Accused: Haan to. (Yes.) In another message, the accused writes, 'To bolde ki ***** ne mara (Tell that I stabbed him).' When the friend asks why he stabbed his senior, the boy claims he had dared him: 'Arey meko bolra tha ki kon hain kya karlega tu (He told me - who are you? What will you do?)' '***** You can't stab someone to death for this', the friend replies. 'Mar deta. Maar nahi dalna tha. (You could have hit him. Why kill him!)' But the accused showed little remorse. 'Chord na. Ab jo hogaya vo hogaya.' (Let it be. What has happened has happened.) Friend: Take care of yourself. Go underground for some time. Delete these chats. Accused: Ok. How the incident unfolded On Tuesday afternoon (August 19), 15-year-old Nayan, a Class 10 student, was heading home after the school bell rang. But just as he stepped out of the Seventh-Day Adventist Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad's Khokhra, he was confronted by a group of boys, including a Class 8 junior, NDTV reported. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What started as a heated argument quickly turned violent. 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STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Protest erupts, school under probe The murder of the Class 10 student triggered a wave of anger and grief outside the school. Soon after his body was handed over to the family, relatives and locals gathered in large numbers at the school gates, demanding answers. On Wednesday afternoon, the boy's family carried his body in a procession and placed it outside the school before proceeding with the last rites later in the day. Speaking to reporters, his father said, 'I'm not aware of any previous altercation. If there was one, my son would have told me. I request the Gujarat police and government to support us and give us justice.' The murder of the Class 10 student triggered a wave of anger and grief outside the school. Victim's family, relatives and locals gatahered in large numbers at the school gates, demanding answers. PTI What began as a family-led protest soon escalated. 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