Many contractual staff have criminal cases: Railway board

Crime data suggests that contractual staff have been found to be involved in a large number of cases of molestation and theft of passengers’ belongings and railway property, so their pre-employment police verification should be mandatory, the Railway Board has said.

The board said that on checking the records, it has been found that police verification was not done in many of these cases.

In a circular addressed to the general managers of all 17 railway zones and the chairman and managing director of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the board said, “Security (Crime) data has highlighted that several incidents have been reported over IR (Indian Railway) wherein contractual staff have been found to be involved in a large number of cases of theft of passengers’ belongings, molestation, theft of railway property etc.”

Advising a remedial measure in the circular dated August 20, the board said, “In view of the above, Zonal Railways and IRCTC are advised that police verification for 100% of the catering and vending staff being engaged over IR in trains as well as stations should be mandatory before their employment to know the antecedents of the respective staff.”

Railway officials said that the board had to come out with the circular when it was found that many contractual staff, who were employed for catering and vending work, have criminal cases pending against them even prior to being taken on job.

“It is very important to eliminate such petty criminals from being hired as contractual employees in railway jobs and police verification is the only way out. Hence, the board has advised the zones and IRCTC in the interest of safety of passengers as well as rail operations,” a railway official said.