GRP plans to streamline interstate transfer of zero FIRs

BHUBANESWAR: If everything goes as planned, one government railway police (GRP) station can directly transfer complaints of passengers to another railway police station, involving interstate jurisdictions. At present, the interstate transfer of complaints between the GRP stations is routed through senior officers of the states concerned. This takes a lot of time causing inconvenience to the complainants.

At a meeting of the state-level security committee for railways here on Wednesday, director general of police R P Sharma discussed faster transfer of interstate complaints (zero FIR) directly between GRP stations. Though passengers can now lodge complaints anywhere, irrespective of the offence committed at a place that does not come under the jurisdiction of the police station where it is reported, their complaints are then sent to the railway superintendent of police (SP), who later forwards the complaint to his or her counterpart in the other state where the specific crime occurred. After receiving the communication, the other state’s SP would transfer the complaint to the GRP station concerned for registration of case.

“We have already instructed the 14 GRP stations in Odisha to directly transfer complaints between themselves if the offence is committed in the state. We are also trying to streamline the transfer of interstate zero FIRs and started discussion with the railway police officials in other states so that the problems of victims are addressed quickly,” additional director general of police (railways and coastal security) Pranabindu Acharya said.

The railway security committee, comprising members of Odisha Police, GRP and railway protection force (RPF) also emphasized on prevention of transportation of narcotics drugs and psychotic substance, unauthorised transportation of livestock, human trafficking and smuggling of gold and silver in trains.

“We have decided to create a WhatsApp group which will include both GRP and RPF staff. They will share intelligence inputs relating to transportation of ganja and other narcotics substances and trafficking of human and cattle,” Acharya said.

The police officials asked the Railways to install CCTV cameras and baggage scanners in railway stations. Acharya said of the 313 railway stations in Odisha, only around nine or 10 have CCTV surveillance system. “The Railways assured us that they would cover at least 35 major stations under the CCTV system within a year. A joint team of GRP and RPF would inspect vital locations in stations for installation of CCTV cameras,” Acharya said. The RPF and GRP personnel were asked to intensify patrolling on platforms and in trains that ply at night for the safety of passengers.