RPF jawan shooting spree: Railway panel to list precautions for issuing weapons to RPF personnel | India News

NEW DELHI: Shaken by the incident of an RPF jawan shooting four passengers inside Jaipur-Mumbai train, the railway ministry has asked a high-level committee to list out the precautions needed to be taken before issuing a weapon to any RPF personnel before deployment on duty. The committee will also recommend how to assess the psychological condition of the staff through medical tests to ascertain whether he/ she can be deployed with weapons or not.

Sources said the panel set up by the ministry consists of two principal chief security commissioners, principal chief medical director and also the head of railway’s human resources division. It is headed by the additional director general of Railway Protection Force (RPF). They added that the committee members were decided considering the factors leading to this unfortunate incident. “This has shocked the entire railway family and the need to overhaul the system has been felt by the railway board,” said a source.
It is learnt that the committee has been tasked to examine what types of weapons should be issued to the RPF staff who are deployed in trains, stations and other railway premises. The panel will also suggest the systemic changes required to be made to ascertain the mental condition of staff so that necessary precautions can be taken.

TOI on Tuesday had reported quoting senior RPF officials that the accused constable Chetan Singh is “mentally unstable” and “undergoing psychiatric treatment”. Inspector general-cum-principal chief security commissioner, Western Railway, P C Sinha, had said the constable was “short-tempered” and was “suffering from mental health issues”.
Railway officials said the findings and recommendations of the panel would pave the way for any modifications in the standard operating procedure for deployment of RPF staff and those particularly carrying weapons.