The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Western Railway, has tightened its grip on fraudulent activities on Mumbai`s suburban trains, particularly targeting unauthorised posters of “tantriks” who promise problem-solving and other deceptive services.
Numerous complaints regarding such posters, along with those advertising finance loans and “MUDRA loans”, had been received via Twitter and the Rail Madad portal. Acting on the instructions of Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh Rathod (Mumbai Central), a special RPF team was formed under the leadership of Sub-Inspector Santosh Soni.
On Tuesday, following a tip-off, the team conducted a raid at Andheri Station on Platform No 2, where they caught one individual, identified as Abdul Samad, red-handed while pasting nearly 600 posters inside a suburban local train.
During interrogation, the accused revealed the location of a hideout in Mira Road. Acting swiftly, the RPF team apprehended another “tantrik” and an associate, seizing an additional 22,000 posters from the site. All the accused were handed over to the Andheri RPF, along with the confiscated material, for further legal action.
This is not an isolated incident. Over the past one month, the RPF has arrested 29 individuals for similar activities inside suburban trains. A total of 49,100 posters were seized, and the offenders were penalised with fines amounting to Rs 13,000 by the court.
Earlier in May, a similar drive was conducted, during which 53 offenders were booked, and 37,400 posters were seized. The court then imposed fines totalling Rs 26,500 on the accused.
Western Railway has appealed to passengers to remain vigilant and report any such unauthorised activities immediately to the RPF or via the 139 helpline.
