On Friday, the government told the Railways had suffered a loss of Rs 259.44 crore due to damage or destruction of railway assets during agitations against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Union Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw said “a separate data regarding the amount of refund granted to passengers due to disruption of rail services on account of public disorder consequent to agitation like those held after launching of Agnipath scheme is not maintained”.
However, Vaishnav said, during the period from “June 14, 2022 to June 30, 2022, a total refund of approximately Rs 102.96 crores was granted on account of cancellation of trains”.
The Minister also said that police and public order are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Therefore, Vaishnav said, state governments are responsible for preventing, detecting, registering, and investigating crime and maintaining law and order on Railways through their law enforcement agencies. Government Railway Police (GRP) and District Police. Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP/District Police to provide better protection and security to railway property, passenger area, and passengers and for matters connected therewith.
“Cases of damage, destruction of government property including railway property are registered and investigated by the concerned GRP and State Police under IPC and Railways Act.”
