177 cases of transportation of illicit liquor intercepted with arrest of 97 persons
HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 4: Railway Protection Force is an armed force of the union entrusted with the security of railway property, passenger area and passengers. It is the lead security agency in the field of railway security having a pan India reach.
Indian Railways, being the primary transporter of the nation, is likely to be used by tax evaders, smugglers, gun runners, and forces inimical to the nation to transport illegal items to different parts of the country for acting on their nefarious designs. Railway Protection Force is alive to this and has recently started ‘Operation Satark’ with an objective of taking action against illicit liquor/FICN/illegal tobacco products/unaccounted gold/cash/precious items/ any other items being transported through railway network for the purpose of tax evasion/smuggling/commission of crime/acts of terror.
Focused effort under ‘Operation Satark’ was launched from April 5 to April 30 wherein 26 cases of transportation of illegal tobacco products were detected with seizure of tobacco products worth more than Rs 44 lakh and arrest of 14 persons involved. 177 cases of transportation of illicit liquor were intercepted with arrest of 97 persons and seizure of illicit liquor worth about Rs 18 lakh. Unaccounted gold/silver jewellery and unaccounted cash is transported through rail for the purpose of tax evasion. RPF detected 23 such cases of tax evasion and handed over unaccounted cash/gold/silver worth about Rs 2.60 crore to the respective tax authorities.
Being aware of its responsibility as the first responder in cases of smuggling through rail, RPF took concerted action in such cases and seized smuggled items worth about Rs 3.18 crore during the period mentioned above.
Arms, ammunition and explosives are sometimes transported by forces inimical to the nation in order to commit crime or realise nefarious design in different parts of the country. RPF has been conducting intensive checks in stations, trains and railway areas under ‘Operation Satark’ to thwart the design of such elements. In course of such an effort across the nation, RPF nabbed 17 persons and recovered one AK 47 rifle, one pipe gun, one double barrel gun, one pistol, 6 country made pistols, 3 daggers, 10 pieces of 12 bore ammunition, 140 pieces of .315” bullet, 404 pieces of 7.62 mm bullets and 9 pieces of different caliber ammunition.
Indian Railways is the life line of the nation and RPF, being the sentinels on the rail, will leave no stone unturned to keep it safe and disallow its use for nefarious activities.
