Unsafe trains: From derailments to hate crimes, assaults on women

Indian railways is offering up all sorts of unexpected hazards these days: from derailments to hate crimes and assaults on women. Following on the train lynching of 17 year old Junaid Khan, three Muslims were attacked with rods and pointed objects on a moving train near Baghpat, UP this Thursday, for the crime of looking identifiably Muslim. In another shocking incident, a woman and her teenage daughter had to jump off a moving train to escape molesters near Kanpur on Monday. What is truly appalling is that the victims had reported the matter to security personnel in the train, but the culprits were let off within minutes after which they returned to harass the mother-daughter duo.
Indian Railways must ensure strict action against the guilty in all such cases and completely overhaul its approach to security on trains, to which the biggest hurdle at present is lack of a comprehensive and harmonised security structure. Currently the Government Railway Police (GRP) is responsible for security, but GRP is administered by states and jurisdiction changes with every state, blurring accountability. There was a 35% spike in crimes against women on Indian trains between 2014 and 2016. Likewise, hate crimes are ticking up. Authorities cannot continue to look the other way.