Railway board orders police check of on-board staff after armyman's murder

The Railway Board has directed all the zones to ensure comprehensive police verification of all the on board attendants and staff after a recent incident in which a coach attendant allegedly stabbed an Army jawan to death following an argument over bedsheet.

The incident took place on November 4 on board the Jammu Tawi-Sabarmati Express when it was passing through the Bikaner division of North Western Railway zone.

In view of the recent incident on one of the trains, it has become even more necessary and emergent to ensure that comprehensive police verification of all on board contractual staff is completed and updated immediately on the CMM (Coaching Maintenance Management) portal, the Railway Board said in a letter addressed to the general managers of all the 18 zones.

"Zonal railways should check status, identify pending cases, and expedite completion of verification process to ensure adherence to security protocols, it added.

According to the Board, to consistently deliver on board passenger services, Indian Railways engages professional agencies for safe and effective delivery of such services.

The letter emphasised that proper background check of contractual staff travelling on board, such as AC coach attendants, OBHS (on board housekeeping services) staff, etc., is of paramount importance as they deliver services to the passengers.

In this regard, instructions have been issued from time to time to ensure police verification of OBHS/linen distribution staff and upload the data on the CMM portal to ensure their strict monitoring, the Board said.

Zonal railways are hereby again advised to complete the police verification exercise of all on board staff and ensure data update on the CMM portal, it added.

The letter enclosed a circular of 2015 in which the Board directed all the railway zones to conduct police verification following reports of a case of alleged misbehaviour by a contractual bedroll attendant with a woman.