In news– Recently, under “Operation Upalabdh”, officers & staff of Railway Protection Force (RPF) /Eastern Railway conducted search/drives against unauthorized activities of procuring & supplying of Railway e-tickets against IRCTC agents through personal user IDs.
About the operation-
- The drive seeks to curb the activities of touts substantially and make railway tickets available to the common man.
- It was conducted following the restoration of long-distance train services as the festival and summer rush was expected to bring about a sharp rise in the demand for reserved train seats.
- The drive was immensely successful and resulted in the arrest of 1459 touts, out of which 341 were authorized IRCTC agents but also indulged in touting railway tickets.
About Railway Protection Force (RPF)-
- RPF is a security force under the ownership of Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways, Government of India.
- It was established by the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957.
- It has the power to search, arrest, investigate, and prosecute offenses committed under Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act 1966, The Railways Act, 1989 (amended from time to time).
- However the power of arrests under other penal laws rests in the hands of the Government Railway Police (GRP) of state police.
- All the officers of RPF are members of the Indian Railway Protection Force Service (IRPFS) and are recruited through UPSC Civil Services Examination.
- They are recruited as Group-A Central Civil Servants.
- However, the post of Director-General of RPF is held on deputation by a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.
- Recruitment also occurs for various posts like sub-inspectors & constables and such recruitments are conducted through various exams held by the Ministry of Railways.
Source: The New Indian Express
