Women face threat on Chennai-bound Kaveri Express, get no help from RPF, officials

CHENNAI: At least half a dozen women passenger travelling on Chennai-bound Kaveri Express (Train No 16022) were intimidated by unauthorised passengers on a reserved coach late on Sunday night, and allegedly received no help from Railway Protection Force or the TTE despite repeated distress calls.

The issue was flagged on social media by Dhivya Marunthiah, general secretary of the OBC wing of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, who was among the five women passengers returning from Mysuru. Initially, two unreserved people came inside the S1 compartment and fought with the passengers for seats. Then they called someone to wait in the next station to join them.

Worried about their safety, one of the passengers pulled the chain. It brought the train guard, but he allegedly did not help. By then, it had become a Tamil-Kannada issue. “They started abusing everyone in the compartment. Unnecessarily creating Kannada-Tamil issue. Please we need help,” she pleaded. But no help was forthcoming.

According to her, over and above the issue of unreserved passengers encroaching reserved seats, the main problem they faced was the RPF not turning up to assist women passengers facing threats while travelling on a late-night train.

Talking to DT Next on Monday, Dhivya said, “We were scared and pulled the chain. But the train guard who turned up only tried to convince us without doing anything to assure our safety. Throughout the commotion, the TTE did not even turn up. I called helpline numbers 139, 138, and even 198 and complained,” Dhivya recounted.

When the train reached the next station, a few people waiting on the platform joined the unruly passengers and intimidated them. “The railway police only videographed us though we objected to it stating that we were the victims. They didn't do anything to get the unreserved people off the coach."

“The police turned up at both stations after we reached out through the helpline 100. But they scolded us for calling 100 instead of reaching the railway helpline and RPF. How would a group of women passengers feel safe if the RPF, railway police, and TTE do not help passengers," asked Dhivya.

When asked, a Southern Railway official said the issue happened in the South Western Railway limit, and added that they were told that it was resolved in Kengeri, which is also in the SW zone.