RPF jawan suffers gunshot injury at J&K’s Kathua railway station
Jammu: A jawan of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) was injured in a gunshot incident on Sunday at the railway station in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district.
Officials said that the jawan was injured after sustaining a gunshot wound at the Railway Station.
Police have confirmed that the injured personnel was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.
His condition is stated to be stable.
Meanwhile, police and railway authorities have taken cognisance of the incident.
More details are awaited.
The RPF is exclusively deployed on various railway stations and along the rail track from Kathua to the Baramulla district of the union territory to provide security to trains, passengers and railway staff. RPF is India’s central armed police force responsible for protecting railway property, passengers, and passenger areas, operating under the Ministry of Railways to ensure safety, prevent crime, and assist travellers, including rescuing children and combating trafficking.
The key functions of RPF include ensuring the safety and security of travellers, particularly women and children, through initiatives like ‘Operation Amaanat (lost & found)’ and ‘MeriSaheli (women’s safety)’. Safeguarding railway assets from damage or theft and enforcing laws like the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act and the NDPS Act (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) for drug-related offences.
RPF provides assistance during emergencies, helping the injured and rescuing lost individuals. It is an armed force of the Union, established by the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957. It works alongside state police but has specific powers for railway security.
The security force has the power to search, arrest, enquire, and prosecute offences committed under the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act 1966 and the Railways Act 1989 (amended from time to time). The RPF has also been entrusted with the responsibility of the security of the railway passenger area and railway passengers since 2004. However, the power of arrests under other penal laws rests in the hands of the Government Railway Police GRP) of each state.