Mumbai: Home guards allow male trespassers in women's coach

MUMBAI: In a disturbing sign for women travellers, home guards assigned to escort night trains have been allowing male trespassers to board the ladies compartment of late. The GRP which oversees the unit has assured an inquiry.

TOI came across two instances over the last month, both on Harbour Line trains bound from CST to Andheri. The first incident occurred on the 11.02pm train on March 15 when the policeman watched an elderly man board at Wadala, then spoke with him and ushered him to a seat. He permitted him to travel till Bandra. When commuters questioned him, he said, "He is an old man. Has he done anything wrong that I should ask him to alight?''



The second instance was April 9 on the 10.37pm CST train to Andheri. Another home guard allowed a young man to board the women's coach with his wife, infant and old mother. He travelled from Wadala to Bandra, repeatedly kissing his child while staring at the women seated opposite. When commuters objected saying the home guard had to follow rules not make his own, he moved the family to the rear of the coach, saying, "He is escorting his old mother, that is why I am allowing him.''

GRP officer Sunil Bhamre, who rosters 210 teams of home guards, assured an inquiry. He said, "We have not received a complaint on our helplines. But we will direct home guards to follow the rules.''

Meanwhile, a commuter in her 20s reported being molested during peak hour by an ostensibly blind beggar during peak hour on February 2. Men dressed as eunuchs are known to regularly touch women commuters under the pretext of "blessing" them.