Railway minister Vaishnaw reviews security after probe into recent train fires hints foul play

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a high-level security review meeting in New Delhi on Thursday after an initial probe into several recent train fire incidents suggested the involvement of anti-social elements.

"It was noted during the meeting that in the last few days, the involvement of anti-social elements has emerged during the initial probe into multiple incidents, including some recent fire incidents," a press note from the Railway Ministry said.

It added that Vaishnav carried out extensive consultations with field officers from across the country in the presence of senior officials in the national capital.

The RPF is actively probing the fires, officials said, adding that in several cases, prompt and proactive action by the railways helped avert major eventualities.

In the review meeting, it was decided that, besides strengthening intelligence systems and the use of technology to process inputs faster, the railways will further encourage passengers to actively support efforts in containing anti-social activities during their journey and while waiting at station premises.

"Railways has thus urged passengers to remain alert and vigilant while travelling. Any suspicious activity or suspicious person noticed on railway premises should be immediately reported on the Railway helpline number 139," the statement said.

Discussions during the security review meeting focused on strengthening intelligence gathering mechanisms from the field through an improved reporting system.

Emphasis was also laid on enhancing technology-driven security systems, expanding CCTV coverage across the railway network and improving operational security coordination between the Railway Board headquarters and field zones.