Cops launch surprise checks at railway stations

KOCHI: Rail passengers beware! Travelling ticket less and carrying knives and iron rods in baggage can land you in trouble as the railway police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) have launched a series of surprise checks at the railway stations in the city. RPF Circle Inspector K P James said they had  decided to conduct surprise raids and checks at the railway stations in the city in the wake of Mumbai serial blasts. “We have been put on alert since the Mumbai blasts. Surprise checks will be conducted at the railway stations and on the trains to scan anti-socials and trouble makers,” he said.Passengers at the South Railway Station were caught by surprise on Wednesday morning when they were asked to pass through metal detectors. Railway officials said the surprise checks  yielded result with many ticketless passengers landing in police net.“We have decided to act tough on those who travel ticketless. Bomb squads and sniffer dogs will conduct thorough searches on the premises of railway stations, especially in the parcel section. Strict directions have been issued to take into custody those persons who wander in railway stations under suspicious circumstances,” the officials said.