GUWAHATI: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is an armed force of the Union entrusted with the security of railway property, passenger area and passengers. It is the lead security agency in the field of railway security having a pan-India reach. Indian Railways, being the primary transporter of the nation, is likely to be used by tax evaders, smugglers, gun runners, and forces inimical to the nation to transport illegal items to different parts of the country for acting on their nefarious designs.
The RPF is alive to this and has recently started 'Operation Satark' with the objective of taking action against illicit liquor, fake Indian currency note (FICN), illegal tobacco products, unaccounted gold/cash/precious items and any other contraband item being transported through the railway network for the purpose of tax evasion/smuggling/commission of crime/acts of terror.
According to a press release, focussed effort under 'Operation Satark' was launched from April 5 to April 30 wherein 26 cases of transportation of illegal tobacco products were detected with seizure of tobacco products worth more than Rs 44 lakh and arrest of 14 persons involved. As many as 177 cases of transportation of illicit liquor were intercepted with the arrest of 97 persons and seizure of illicit liquor worth about Rs 18 lakhs. Unaccounted gold/silver jewellery and unaccounted cash is transported through rail for the purpose of tax evasion. RPF detected 23 such cases of tax evasion and handed over unaccounted cash/gold/silver worth about Rs 2.60 crore to the respective tax authorities.
Being aware of its responsibility as the first responder in cases of smuggling through rail, the RPF took concerted action in such cases and seized smuggled items worth about Rs 3.18 crores during the period mentioned above.
Arms, ammunition and explosives are sometimes transported by forces inimical to the nation in order to commit crime or realize nefarious design in different parts of the country. RPF has been conducting intensive checks in stations, trains and railway area under 'Operation Satark' to thwart the design of such elements. In course of such an effort across the nation, RPF nabbed 17 persons and recovered one AK-47 rifle, one pipe gun, one double barrel gun, one pistol, 6 country-made pistols, 3 daggers, 10 pieces of 12 bore ammunition, 140 pieces of .315 bullets, 404 pieces of 7.62 mm bullets and 9 pieces of different caliber ammunition.
TOUTS HELD: The RPF acted upon information and arrested e-ticket touts from different locations last week to check illegal sale of railway tickets, stated a press release. During this raid 16 railway e-tickets were recovered (both current and used e-tickets) worth more than Rs 21,000 on April 27and April 28. During the raid, three persons were arrested and prosecuted in this connection.
In an incident on April 28, a team of RPF of Kokrajhar conducted a raid at a local shop located at Pratapkhata Bazar, Kokrajhar and arrested a person. The team seized 7 e-tickets worth more than Rs 5,000 along with a mobile phone from the shop. A case was registered under section 143 of the Railways Act in this regard against the arrested person.
On April 27, a team of RPF of New Mal Junction, acting upon information, raided a travel agency named 'DIGINET E-Ticket Shop' located at Binnaguri market, Jalpaiguri. The owner of the agency was arrested and the team seized 8 railway e-tickets worth around Rs 16,000 along with a mobile phone and a computer set. In another incident on same day, an RPF team of Hasimara outpost acted upon information and conducted a raid at a shop named 'RS InfoTech' located at Hamiltonganj, Alipurduar. An e-ticket was recovered from the shop worth around Rs 400 along with a laptop, two mobile phones and Rs 600 in cash. The owners of both the shops of the above incidents were arrested and cases were registered under section 143 of the Railways Act in this regard.
The RPF of NF Railway keeps a close vigil on touting activities to prevent illegal sale of railway tickets. Procurement and supply of unauthorized railway tickets is a punishable offence under section 143 of Railway Act.
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