Railway Protection Force (RPF) is entrusted with the responsibility of security of railway property, passenger area, passengers and matters connected therewith. RPF personnel have been rendering outstanding service for the cause of security of railways and railway passengers. They also provide help to passengers in need and rescue of women and children in need of care and protection. To provide impetus to various activities of the force personnel which they are performing even beyond their assigned duties, it has been decided to launch several operations under different names starting from January 2022.

RPF has been saving lives of persons in danger of coming under the wheels of running trains at various railway stations and railway area night and day going beyond their call of duty risking their own lives. Now the activity has been undertaken in mission mode under "Mission Jeewan Raksha". RPF personnel saved 42 persons, 20 males and 22 ladies under this mission during January 2022.

RPF has played important role in reuniting the children in need of care and protection, lost/separated from their family or escaped from their homes due to several reasons. They are vulnerable for getting exploited and trafficked, if not secured in time. The force personnel were motivated towards this noble cause and an all India program under the code name "Operation

Nanhe Fariste" was launched. During the month of January 2022, 1045 Children (701 Boys+344 Girls) in need of care & protection who came in contact with Indian Railways were rescued with the follow up action in coordination with the NGOs. Presently Child Help Desks are functional at 132 railway station across the Indian railways.

To provide better security to the women passengers several new initiatives were taken under the code name "Mahila Suraksha". During the month of Jan. 2022, RPF has deployed "Meri Saheli" teams at major railway stations with an objective to provide security to lady passengers specially travelling alone and vulnerable to crime and covered approx 13000 nos of trains all over India for this purpose. Taking other preventive measures RPF arrested 05 persons in cases of molestation & eve-teasing and arrested 2185 persons found tr'avelling in ladies coaches.

RPF personnel especially ladies RPF personnel, who currently form about 9% of the total strength, go out of the way to help pregnant women who go into labor during their train journeys, in childbirth under "Operation "Matrishakti". During the month of Jan- 2022, Lady RPF personnel provided assistance to 07 such women passengers and were instrumental in bringing their children to this beautiful world.

Though Policing is a state subject under 7^th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, RPF supplements the efforts of state police in the field of combating passenger crime under "Operation Yatri Suraksha". During the month of Jan. 22, RPF arrested more than 300 criminals involved in 254 cases of offences against passengers and handed them over to concerned GRP/Local Police. Under the same Operation "Yatri Suraksha", RPF is available on call (Toll Free 139 and other social media forums i.e. Twitter, facebook, instagram etc.) round the clock to receive and resolve security and other grievances of passengers. During the Jan 2022, more than 11230 calls/complaints received from passengers in distress on Toll Free Helpline No. 139 (24 X 7) and twitter related to Security were promptly attended & resolved.

To curb the menace of Human Trafficking through railways, RPF has been working in coordination with other stake holders round the clock. Taking action under the code name Operation "AAHT", RPF has rescued 35 persons (22 minors) with arrest of 08 traffickers in the month of Jan 2022 and handed them over to Police.

Passengers, many a times, leave behind their belongings in haste to catch trains or leave the station. RPF personnel act as guardians and help secure these belongings with an aim to restore them to their rightful owners under "Operation Amanat". RPF retrieved 1552 passenger belongings valued to the tune of more than Rs. 2.8 Crores under this operation during Jan 22.

Narcotics do not only destroy the health of the youth, they damage the economy and well being of the nation too. RPF has been empowered to conduct serch, seizure and arrest under NDPS Act in 2019. In order to give focused attention to drive against smuggling of narcotics through rail, RPF has launched "Operation NARCOS". Under this operation, RPF has recovered

Narcotic products valued Rs. 4.57 Crores with arrest of 87 persons during the month of Jan. 2022,

Transportation by trains has become a major conduit for tax evaders/law breakers. RPF has launched a separate operation called "Operation Satark" against illegal transportation of Tobacco Products, unaccounted cash, illegal liquor, unaccounted precious items, smuggled goods etc under which illegal tobacco products worth Rs. 19 Lakhs, Illegal liquor worth Rs. 19 Crores, Unaccounted gold worth Rs 4.90 Cr, unaccounted silver worth Rs I l Lakh, other smuggled foreign good worth Rs 2.18 Lakhs, and Unaccounted cash worth 2.50 Cr with apprehension of 119 persons. The unaccounted/illegal consignments seized with apprehended persons were handed over to concerned Law Enforcement Agency

Smuggling of Wildlife, animal parts and forest product is crime against Nature. RPF has been alive to the issue and has taken stringent action under "Operation WILEP" against the smugglers involved in illegal trade of wildlife through railways. In the month of Jap 2022, RPF detected I I cases with arrest of 2 persons and handed over the recovered items like rare turtles, various species of wild birds, endangered vultures to the forest department.

RPF acts as Sentinels on Rail and helps state police/law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in detection of serious cases reported from their respective areas of operation under Operation "Rail Prahari". During January 2022, RPF helped police/LEAs detect 7 cases of serious crime like murder, rape, dacoity/robbery, kidnapping among others.

Under "Operation Dignity", RPF rescued 80 adult men and 153 adult women who were in distress needing immediate care and protection. They were handed over to their respective families/NGOs. Under "Operation Sewa", RPF provided assistance to more than 1000 elderly, sick, divyang persons during their travel by activities ranging from arranging medicines, infant food, wheel chairs, stretchers, medical help to carrying divyang/elderly persons on their shoulders.

RPF personnel acknowledge the responsibility of being "citizens in uniform" and will continue to secure, assist and serve in right earnest in the service of nation and its citizens to realize motto of the Force "Yash Labhaswa" or "Attain Honour"

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RKJ/M