Allahabad High Court Criticizes Railway Protection Force Following Attack on Woman Constable Aboard Saryu Express
In a recent hearing, the Allahabad High Court expressed its stern disapproval towards the Railway Protection Force (RPF) for their perceived negligence. This comes after a distressing incident where a woman constable was brutally attacked and found
“in a pool of blood”
on the Saryu Express.
The incident, which took place on August 30, saw the constable assaulted with a sharp weapon while on board the train. The gravity of the situation drew the immediate attention of the Allahabad High Court, which did not mince words in its criticism of the RPF. The two-judge bench, consisting of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Ashutosh Srivastava, lambasted the RPF for
“failing in discharge of its duties.”
The court has since instructed the Government Railway Police (GRP) to submit a detailed progress report on their ongoing investigation by September 13.
The court’s statement highlighted the severity of the incident, noting,
“The present incident clearly shows the utter violation of the certain provisions of the Indian Railways Act. Moreover, the Railway Protection Force have also completely failed in discharge of their duties and responsibilities in giving effect to the rules and regulations formulated for the protection of passengers. The present incident is not only a crime against women, but against the entire society and the same destroys the entire psychology of women.”
In an unprecedented move, Chief Justice Diwaker, upon receiving a WhatsApp message about the attack, convened a late-night session at his residence. He subsequently formed a bench with Justice Srivastava and issued notices to both the Centre and the RPF.
The injured constable, whose identity remains confidential, was discovered in an unconscious state in a compartment of the Saryu Express at the Ayodhya station. The attack left her with two skull fractures. She is currently receiving medical care at Lucknow’s KGMC hospital, where her condition is reported as stable, according to the GRP.
Post the incident, the constable’s brother filed a formal complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR under IPC sections 332, 353, and 307, which pertain to causing harm, assault, and attempted murder respectively. The police have clarified that there’s no evidence pointing towards a sexual assault, and the investigation continues.
