Southern Railway and the government railway police (GRP) have requested commuters to contact railway officials on mobile phone or the police using a toll free phone number, if they need immediate assistance while travelling on trains.
A few days ago, nine people travelling in a train servicing the Chennai-Mangalore route, were arrested for creating a nuisance to the other passengers in an inebriated condition.
Following the incident, the railway department asked commuters to contact the security helpline number - 182 for immediate assistance related to theft, security issues or misbehaviour of co-passengers. Passengers could also call the officer on special duty to chief commercial manager, Southern Railway, over mobile phone (90031- 60969) for assistance. Government railway police can be contacted using the toll free number 1512 round the clock.
At 11pm on February 21, eight passengers cut a cake inside a sleeper coach of the Chennai Central-Mangalore express train, to celebrate a friend's birthday, at the Salem railway junction.
They smoked cigarettes and consumed liquor inside the coach. One of the ticket examiners, Rajeswar Meena, warned them of criminal action if they continued to smoke and drink. However, the passengers abused her using bad words. Subsequently, she alerted the railway protection force (RPF) and GRP at Erode railway junction who rushed to spot to resolve the issue.
A few minutes later, the noisy group tried to attack the other passengers and the ticket examiner. One, examiner, D Rajasekaran from Ganapathi Puram in Chennai, lodged a complaint with GRP women sub-inspector Banumathi, who registered a case against the nine passengers under Sections 75 (1) (b) of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act, Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 45 (b) of Indian Railway Act. Police said the arrested people were heading towards Trissur in Kerala to attend a wedding.