The low levels of security on the Harbour line - the country's fastest growing suburban system - was once again highlighted after a 26-year-old woman from Malad (name withheld) was abused and assaulted by three unknown men in the train. The incident happened on October 22 afternoon and according to the complainant, the coach was as crowded as it normally is.
When the woman wanted to file a complaint, she realised that the King's Circle station where the incident happened does not have a permanent police post nor does it have too many station officials apart from a few ticket booking clerks.
The woman first called the police helpline number 100, which told her that a team would arrive soon. She was then told by passer by that Matunga police station is just beneath the elevated station.
However after knowing the details of the case, officials at Matunga police station, directed her to Wadala railway police station, since the entire incident happened on that particular railway territory. More than an hour later, Wadala railway police registered a case against three unknown men under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult) and 34 (common intent) of IPC.
According to the complaint filed by her with Wadala railway police, three men abused her and manhandled her brother- who was travelling with her- when her Andheri-CST harbour train reached King's Circle station.
"My brother, my daughter and I, had taken the 1:26pm Andheri-CST train to meet relatives at King's Circle. Around 1:45pm, three men in their late 20s picked up a fight with us and abused me and also manhandled my brother.
They got off when the train reached the station," she told dna.
What has galled her is the fact that despite the Harbour line being so crowded, the levels of security is poor.
"I feel sad about the fact that some railway officials told me that the police hardly visits King's Circle. And the fact that I along with my two-year-old daughter and 19-year-old brother, had to go from one police station to another to file a case. Imagine how unsafe the stations on Harbour line might be for women during the night time?" she added.
As highlighted by dna in its articles earlier, the passenger growth of Harbour line at 9.22% is possibly the highest for any suburban system in the country. However, it has three railway police stations at Wadala, Vashi and Panvel, to police the 50 km route. Even the railway administration comes up short on Harbour line with most of the stations being manned by booking clerks rather than full-time station managers.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}