Special train escorts are planned by railroads.

The railway minister launched an investigation into the gangrape on the Pushpak Express near Bhopal on Wednesday, but the Maharashtra railway police have not yet apprehended three of the five suspects in the rape of a 20-year-old woman on the Pawan Express last fortnight. “Jadhav and his accomplices are residents of Satpur in Nashik and were travelling ticketless to Chaityabhoomi at Dadar, on the occasion of Dr. B R Ambedkar’s death anniversary. While they were not habitual dacoits, they took advantage of the fact that the train was packed and commuters were off guard,” said a policeman. “Jadhav and his accomplices are residents of Satpur in Nashik and were… arrested.” Jadhav is accused of kidnapping in the past, while Pramod, his brother, has already been detained for eve-teasing. A total of Rs 10,000 was stolen from passengers by Jadhav’s gang of five. Additionally, near Igatpuri, three to four additional gangs simultaneously robbed people in other bogies of the same train. Eleven dacoits have been detained. The two rapes that occurred on passenger trains in less than a month’s time share uncanny similarities. In all instances, dacoit bands boarded the trains and robbed them, forcing passengers to endure an ory of violence for more than two hours. Senior GRP and RPF officials met on Friday to discuss developing a plan for offering escorts in train cabins. The strategy, whose specifics are still being worked out, would ensure that an armed police officer is always present in general compartments between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. “RPF and GRP officers will work in close coordination,” said special inspector general of police Ramrao Wagh. Unreserved bogies will receive extra attention because they are frequently the target of criminals.