Parliament Question: Prosecution and Protection of Railway Property

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5394 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026 PROSECUTION AND PROTECTION OF RAILWAY PROPERTY 5394. SHRI ANIL YESHWANT DESAI: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether Railway Courts and Railway Protection Force (RPF) are responsible for prosecution and protection of railway property etc.; (b) if so, the details of the number of persons caught by RPF and prosecuted in railway courts during the last five years, year-wise; (c) the details of the number of stone pelting incidents on railways during the last five years and the persons caught by RPF with the help of police; (d) the details of the number of incidents of removal of fish plates/placing stones on railway tracks causing derailments during the last five years, place and location-wise; and (e) the details of precautionary action taken by railway authorities to identify persons/places and prevent such activities? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (e): The protection of railway property is entrusted to the Railway Protection Force (RPF). The RPF is empowered to register cases of theft, dishonest misappropriation, abetment, connivance, and conspiracy against railway property under the provisions of Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1966. The cases are registered against the offender and enquiry is conducted, followed by submission of a complaint to the competent court i.e the court of the Special Railway Magistrate and in few states, in the district courts where special railway courts are not established. § Page 1 of 3During the last five years (2021–2025), a total of 52,494 persons were arrested under the provisions of the RP(UP) Act, 1966. Out of these, complaints were filed against 50,432 offenders in the respective courts. During the last five years (2021–2025), a total of 12,157 incidents of stone pelting were registered, in which 8,441 persons were arrested by RPF/GRP. During the last five years (2021–2025), only three incidents of derailment attributable to miscreant activities occurred on Indian Railways i.e. one each in the Waltair Division of East Coast Railway, the Jhansi Division of North Central Railway, and the Chennai Division of Southern Railway. Further, in order to prevent incident of any criminal tampering with railway tracks, following steps are being taken by railways:- i. Regular State Level Security Committee of Railways (SLSCR) meetings are being conducted, which have been constituted in each State under the chairmanship of DGPs/Commissioner of police of respective States/Union territory with representatives of RPF, GRP and Intelligence units. Further close liaison is made by RPF with the State Police/GRP authorities at all levels to control Crime, registration of cases, their investigation and safe running of trains with focus on sabotage incidents, sharing of intelligence etc. ii. Besides Central & State Intelligence agencies, Intelligence unit of RPF i.e. Crime Intelligence Branch(CIB) & Special Intelligence Branch(SIB) have been deployed to collect intelligence and take necessary action in coordination with concerned authorities for detection and prevention of any criminal activity. iii. Frequent patrolling of identified black spots and vulnerable sections are being done by Railways, RPF, GRP & Civil Police. iv. Regular drives are conducted to remove loose and scattered materials lying near to the railway tracks which can potentially be used by miscreant for putting obstruction on railway track. Page 2 of 3v. The people living near railway track are being sensitized about the consequences of putting foreign material on track, removing rail components, making reels etc. and are requested to keep watch and report any suspected activity immediately. vi. Surveillance is also kept using drones and putting solar powered stand alone CCTV cameras. ***** Page 3 of 3