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United News of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- United News of India
RPF rescues over 65k trafficked and runaway children in last four years
New Delhi, July 30 (UNI) In a significant achievement, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has rescued more than 65,000 trafficked and runaway children across India in the last four and a half years, underscoring its crucial role in combating human trafficking. Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), lauded the RPF's efforts and highlighted the grave nature of human trafficking, describing it as 'one of the gravest human rights violations,' with women and girls being disproportionately affected. She emphasised the importance of early detection and timely intervention by the RPF in addressing this menace. To enhance the capabilities of RPF personnel in preventing trafficking of women and children, as well as other crimes against women, the NCW and RPF have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons today, said a statement here. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, who attended the event, shared the development on the social media platform X, marking the collaboration as a key step forward in strengthening anti-trafficking measures. The MoU was signed by Shivani Dey, Deputy Secretary of NCW, and S. Sudhakar, DIG/Projects, RPF, as per the statement. Manoj Yadava, Director General of RPF, reiterated the force's commitment to the cause. 'Indian Railways, with its vast network and reach, holds a unique position and responsibility to act as a frontline deterrent against trafficking,' he said. He added that the partnership with NCW would enhance operational response and community engagement, enabling more effective prevention and rescue efforts. The MoU facilitates the organization of structured training programs and sensitization initiatives for RPF personnel. Public awareness efforts, including the dissemination of informational materials at railway stations and on trains, will also be undertaken. Additionally, anti-human trafficking units (AHTUs), already operational at over 750 locations, will be leveraged to strengthen surveillance and ensure immediate response to suspected cases, said the statement. UNI AJ RN
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Growing threat of child trafficking highlighted in Chittoor district
Marking the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, Rural Education and Liberty (REAL), a Chittoor-based NGO, organised a multi-agency meeting at railway station here on Wednesday. The event focused on strengthening child protection measures through coordinated action. Personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), Women Police, departments of Labour, Women and Child Welfare, and Indian Railways took part in the meeting. REAL director S. Ramarao highlighted the growing threat of child trafficking and called for collaboration among stakeholders. He said that Just Rights for Children, with a network all over the country, comprising 250 NGOs in 418 districts, rescued 360 children in one year from child labour, trafficking, child marriage, and sexual abuse in Chittoor district. The RPF and GRP officials observed that child trafficking also includes forced labour, child marriages, and commercial exploitation. The traffickers frequently use rail routes to transport the children to the clandestine destinations. Railway passengers, vendors, and railway staff also took part in the event, vowing to identify and report trafficking cases.
News18
3 hours ago
- General
- News18
Fencing reduces cattle collisions on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat route
Ahmedabad, Jul 30 (PTI) The fencing of the entire 562-km of railway tracks between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, a first-of-its-kind initiative, has led to a significant reduction in the incidents of high-speed trains like Vande Bharat running over cattle, the Western Railway said on Wednesday. Only 101 such incidents were reported during 2024-25 compared to 538 in 2022-23, said a WR official. The Railways decided to install a `W beam' fence, an anti-crash barrier used by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), after the Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat train hit several cattle near Ahmedabad in October 2022. The nose cone of the train was damaged in the incident, said WR's chief public relations officer Vineet Abhishek. After the fencing was installed, the route has reported only 12 cattle collisions in 2025-26 as of July 23, compared to 27 such incidents during the same period last year, he said. The route had witnessed 538 such incidents in 2022-23, followed by 289 in 2023-24. The fencing was installed to prevent cows and bulls, buffalos and blue bulls from straying on the railway tracks, Abhishek said. The Mumbai-Vadodara-Ahmedabad section of the WR is the only long stretch of track of Indian Railways which has become cattle-proof, he said, adding that it would enable increasing the speed of trains to 160 kmph. 'The WR is actively monitoring the performance and taking countermeasures deriving from the learnings in order to keep the fencing effective. Further, the WR is also trying other options, namely, fixed-knot fencing in Ahmedabad -Palanpur section which has been identified to run trains at 130 kmph," Abhishek said. Soon after the October 2022 incident, the WR's Railway Protection Force (RPF) identified various vulnerable locations and carried out frequent awareness and sensitisation campaigns in nearby villages, he said. 'The RPF conducted meetings with the sarpanches of all villages in the vicinity of railway tracks and counselled local residents including cattle grazers," the chief PRO added. PTI KA PD KRK view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 18:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Joint initiative: NCW and RPF sign MoU on World Day Against Human Trafficking
New Delhi: On the occasion of World Day Against Human Trafficking, the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi to intensify efforts against human trafficking. The partnership aims to enhance vigilance and preventive mechanisms across India's extensive railway network — a route frequently exploited by traffickers. The MoU signing ceremony took place in the presence of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar. During the event, the Railway Minister also launched an informative booklet published by the NCW on human trafficking awareness. The publication outlines strategies for prevention, awareness, training, and enforcement. Addressing the gathering, NCW Chairperson Rahatkar emphasised the need for institutional coordination, ground-level vigilance, and public awareness to curb trafficking. RPF Director General Manoj Yadav underlined the growing responsibility of RPF personnel, given that railways remain a commonly used channel for trafficking. The MoU focusses on collaborative efforts to train frontline railway staff and create awareness among passengers and the public. Joint workshops and sensitisation programs will be organised to equip RPF personnel with the skills to identify signs of trafficking and intervene effectively. Through this partnership, NCW and RPF aim to strengthen law enforcement capabilities and make railway stations and trains safer, especially for vulnerable women and children. Public awareness campaigns at stations and in trains will also be conducted to deter traffickers and empower passengers to report suspicious activities. The MoU is a significant step towards transforming public transport spaces into vigilant and responsive environments. As part of the initiative, the NCW also hosted a special event at Vigyan Bhawan, attended by officers from the RPF, CISF, BSF, Delhi Police, and Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD). Awareness sessions were conducted for the participating forces, reinforcing their role in combating trafficking.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
2 from Bihar held with brown sugar worth Rs 1 cr at West Bengal station
Representational image NEW DELHI: Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel arrested two Bihar residents with brown sugar worth Rs 1.01 crore at the Malda Town railway station in West Bengal on Monday night. The suspects, Riham Reza, 18, and Md Talib Reza, 27, were spotted behaving suspiciously near the foot-overbridge of the station, according to PTI. Upon searching the suspects, RPF officials discovered two packets containing 203 grams of brown sugar. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The accused were handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP), and a case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
