Bihar: Railways beefs up security in view of festivals

PATNA: The railways has intensified vigil on long distance trains originating from or passing through the state to avoid any untoward incident during the festive season. Samastipur railway division safety commissioner Anshuman Tripathi has shot off letters to senior railway officials, asking them to take all precautionary measures to thwart any untoward incident.

Superintendents of rail police (SRP) of Muzaffarpur and Katihar rail districts were on their field assignments on Saturday. While Muzaffarpur SRP Niraj Kumar Singh was camping at Narkatiaganj in West Champaran district, his counterpart in Katihar rail district Dilip Kumar Mishra was overseeing security measures at Kishanganj.

Kishanganj is close to West Bengal border, which witnesses movement of train passengers during festive season. “We are taking all precautionary measures keeping in view an alert sounded by the intelligence agencies. All the government railway police stations (GRPs) have been put on maximum alert. The SHOs have been asked to carry out surprise checks in all important trains and take help of sniffer dogs, if required,” Katihar SRP Dilip Kumar Mishra said.

“Kishanganj is considered vulnerable from security point of view. Extra vigil is being maintained at railway stations close to Indo-Nepal border such as Forbesganj and Jobgani in Araria and Jainagar in Madhubani. Areas falling under Begusarai, Samastipur, Saharsa, Khagaria, Naugachhia, Araria, Katihar and Purnia districts fall under the jurisdiction of Katihar rail district,” the SRP said.

“Besides threat to railway passengers, we have sounded an alert on activities of ‘nasha khurani gangs’ operating in the region. We have furnished the list of the active members of such gangs, who mostly target passengers in running trains,” the SRP added.

Muzaffarpur SRP Niraj Kumar Singh took stock of security measures for train passengers at Narkatiaganj railway station in West Champaran district. “I am camping at Narkatiaganj to assess the arrangements at railway stations in Raxaul, Sugauli, Bettiah and Motihari,” he said.

The Muzaffarpur SRP said special police teams comprising DSPs, inspectors and SHOs have been assigned to check trains. In addition, police teams will camp at Gorakhpur and Balia to keep vigil on trains entering Bihar.

An NIA team is learned to have been camping in Kosi region following inputs that some terrorists may enter Bihar through Nepal. DIG of Kosi range S P Choudhary and Saharsa SP Rakesh Kumar, however, denied having received any input about possible terrorist attacks from the NIA.