In an interesting incident that raised the hackles of the city folks, on the morning of 18th August, the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) recovered a suspicious parcel from the Guwahati railway station amid rumours all over that the police had recovered an 8 to 10 kg Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The police immediately informed the bomb squad who rushed to the spot and whisked way the suspicious bag to an isolated place in Rani. Later it was reported that the bomb was blasted at Rani. Was it an IED? Is Guwahati railway station vulnerable to bomb blasts? G Plus checks the scenario.
The suspected IED
Additional Director General of Police, Special Branch, Pallab Bhattacharya talking to G Plus said, “A parcel containing some materials was detected at Guwahati railway station and the police could hear a ticking sound of a clock coming from within the parcel. The bomb squad was pressed into operation which examined the parcel and took it to a safe place (Rani Firing Range) with the help of a remotely operated vehicle and trailer.” He further said that since the object was still giving the ticking sound, the bomb disposal squad, for the safety and security of public in general, decided to defuse the suspected parcel by blasting it in the safe place. He said that enquiry is still going on regarding the existence or otherwise of any explosive materials in the parcel. The Assam Police Headquarters also issued a press release regarding the same requesting the public not to be swayed by any misinformation in this regard. The GRP officials, talking to G Plus, said that they had recovered the parcel at 9.20 am and after finding it suspicious they informed the bomb squad. It is good news that the parcel did not have a bomb, but is the Guwahati railway station safe?
How safe is Guwahati railway station?
Guwahati railway station Senior Station Manager, Paresh Kalita, talking to G Plus, said that there are 3 entry points and 4 exit points at the station and out of these one is only for parcels. He said that miscreants can enter the station by walking over the tracks both from the Lakhtokia side and from Gauhati Club side if they plan. He said therefore the RPF and GRP keep patrolling the area round the clock. He said that the suspected IED which was recovered from behind the RPF office and from the Railway Mail Service (RMS) lobby is outside the platform. He also said that there are 22 CCTV cameras installed by RPF and 10 CCTV cameras installed by GRP but these do not cover the entire external areas of the station. He said that the CCTV cameras installed outside the station do not cover the parking lot or the road from the station to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The manager said that before Independence Day there was a meeting between the RPF and GRP and the manpower was increased around the entire station. He accepted that if miscreants want they can enter the station from many places by crossing walls, or by the railway track route.
The RPF and the GRP, talking to G Plus, said that they are alert 24X7 and the patrol parties keep patrolling and checking everything in and around the station. A shopkeeper inside the station, talking to G Plus, said that they don’t feel secure as, many a time, the luggage scanner installed at the entry point of the station does not function. The shopkeeper also said that people entering the station are also not thoroughly frisked and the station is vulnerable to terror attacks.
