Railways assures passenger safety

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The quick response by the railway protection force (RPF) and the bomb squad on Thursday after a detonator was found near Piravom, was appreciated by many passengers. But it also questions safety and the state’s vulnerability in such a scenario, said numerous passengers and residents. Thrissur railway passengers’ association general secretary P Krishnakumar said, “Passengers are confident that with surveillance and quick response, such threats could be thwarted.”
Southern Railway security department officials, on condition of anonymity, said the bomb placed inside the tiffin box with a timer was not active.The department said passengers need not panic as everything is under control and police have initiated action to ensure safety.
“Excluding a bomb blast that occurred near Thrissur in 1997, rail network in Kerala has never seen any extremist activity. The bomb found near Piravom was not powerful enough to cause a major blast. However, we are scrutinizing previous criminal records and monitoring suspicious movements in the state. The device was detected by alert citizens and we would appreciate this support in the future since monitoring all tracks is an impossible task,” said a highly placed official. Meanwhile, the integrated security system (ISS) which was to be introduced in March 2012 is still delayed. Thiruvananthapuram Central, Ernakulam Junction and Kozhikode railway stations were selected for ISS. .