FPJ Impact: GRP Gets New Baggage Check Rules Amid Extortion Plaints

The Railway Police Commissioner, Mumbai, on Thursday issued fresh guidelines to personnel regarding baggage checks at railway stations, following repeated complaints of extortion involving railway police. Commissioner Rakesh Kalasagar’s order comes after commuter outrage, with the Free Press Journal reporting extensively on extortion at various railway stations across Mumbai, allegedly involving police personnel.

Fresh Guidelines Issued After Extortion Complaints

As per the guidelines, baggage checks will be allowed only in the presence of senior officers and under CCTV surveillance, with video recordings maintained where necessary. A register must be kept for all checks, and personnel must remain in uniform with nameplates visible.

Police on platforms cannot escort passengers to GRP offices, railway offices, or areas without CCTV coverage. All enquiries must be conducted at CCTV-equipped stations. If any objectionable items or large sums of money are found, the process must be recorded and reported to senior officers, with action taken strictly as per law.

The order also bars unnecessary baggage and ticket checks. Personnel duties, including baggage checking and crime branch work, will be rotated every 15 days, while beat duties will change every three months.

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Home Guards should be deployed for patrolling at gates and platforms, and not for police-station-related work. The officer-in-charge must check attendance daily and take action if any bogus attendance is found. If any private persons are found to be in contact with the police with the intention of extortion, action will also be taken against those persons. CCTV cameras must be installed immediately in all railway police stations.

The commissioner has warned that any police personnel flouting these guidelines will face stern action.