Mumbai railway station is criminals' haunt

Navi Mumbai: Navi Mumbai boasts of an upcoming international airport and picture perfect highways.

But Seaweed Darave railway station is far removed from the utopia of the city.

It is infested with criminals because two local police stations say the railway station is not in their jurisdiction.

DCP, Navi Mumbai Police, Amar Jadhav, “The north side of the station falls under the jurisdiction of Nerul Police Station and the south side under the NRI Police Station.”

But in a time of crisis, there is not a single policeman around.

Says a commuter, Vimal Bhadange, "They tried to steal my mangalsutra. I screamed for help but there was no policeman around.”

The station is still under construction and there are no proper entry and exit point that forces the commuters to use dangerous shortcuts.

"Criminals often hide in the tall grass and accost unsuspecting passengers at knife-point,” adds another commuter, Dattatray Chavan.

When darkness falls, the area plunges into pitch-blackness as the lights in the area seldom work. But the odd constable on duty is quick to blame the passengers for taking untoward risks by using shortcuts.

Says Rly Police Constable on night duty, Dhanaji Satre, "We advise the commuters to use subway but they still take shortcuts.”

Interestingly his superior is in denial and claims no incidents of crime have occurred in the area.

"We have received no complaints as far as we know. Nothing untoward has taken place,” says Sen PI, Railway Police, Dilip Gore.

Local residents have now decided to approach Navi Mumbai police commissioner with a memorandum.