A shocking incident reportedly has emerged from Uttar Pradesh wherein a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) allegedly raped a 22-year-old woman inside the AC First Class coach of the Ahmedabad-Gorakhpur Express. Thereby raising serious concerns about the passenger safety on trains and the accountability of the railway staff, the case has also become a sore point for train owners. The incident occurred on February 15, near Deoria in Gorakhpur district.
The victim, a National Cadet Corps (NCC) student, was en route, having returned after a test for her NCC ‘C’ certificate. She boarded the train without a fare and turned to a TTE, named Rahul Kumar, for assistance. He allegedly lured her into the AC First Class, promising to arrange a seat, then assaulted her, they reported. The woman was able to escape the incident and called the emergency helpline number 112. Police teams then found that the accused had fled the train.
The Railways acted fast to suspend the TTE. They will take strict measures to prevent future incidents like this from happening. The case has also led to demands of stricter supervision of railway staff and greater safety for women passengers.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has also deployed joint teams to track the accused. Raids are being carried out in various areas to arrange his arrest. Authorities have promised that the investigation will be comprehensive and that justice will be delivered.
The incident stirred public outrage and social media usage. Several have expressed such anger at the condition of their female passengers in train carriages, which are supposed to depend upon workers at the railway to help get them along. Calls for better background checks, for surveillance cameras in coaches, for harsher punishments for offenders have grown louder.
The recent case of the TTE who was accused of raping a girl on a moving train is a serious example of why we all should work harder on the safety of public transportation. The accused has since been suspended as the Railways has suspended him; the police are currently seeking him, but the point, it seems, is that vigilance is key to this kind of situation. The safety of passengers, particularly women, should be at the top of any and all measures by authorities if they are to rebuild public faith along the nation’s railways.
