Strict action against Home Guards held for extortion

Hyderabad, Nov 25 (INN): The Railways will be taking strict action against the three Home Guards who were held by the Gopalpuram Police for the act of extorting money from people in the circulating area outside Secunderabad Railway Station, on receipt of report from the Police.

A News report had appeared in the media on Wednesday that RPF Home Guards/Jawans involved in extortion were held by the Gopalpuram Police. As a consequence of the same, the three Home Guards involved i.e,, P. Murali Rao, D. Prashanth and Sayanna will not be taken back on duty with the Railways and will be repatriated permanently to Superintendent of Police, Ranga Reddy District with recommendation to take most stringent action against them and delist them from the Home Guard organisation.

In the light of this incident, it is also brought out that P. Murali Rao, Home Guard, who had earlier too indulged in corrupt practice of extracting money from Railway passengers, was repatriated to Superintendent of Police, Ranga Reddy District with request to delist him from the Home Guards organization.

However, Superintendent of Police, Ranga Reddy District redirected the Home Guard with a request to take him on duty on humanitarian grounds stating that the Home Guard was warned not to repeat such mistakes in future, duly taking an undertaking from him. As per the request, he was taken for duty and posted at Divisional Railway Manager's (DRM) Office, Secunderabad Division on security duty from 14th September.

D. Prashanth who was deployed at RPF Post, Secunderabad station is a habitual absentee and was hence removed from Security duty at Secunderabad Railway Station and was deployed at DRM Office, Secunderabad Division Security duty since March, 2015.

Basing on their record of service, both the Home Guards were removed from Security duty at Secunderabad Railway Station earlier itself, since it was not considered appropriate to post them there. Incidentally, they were off duty at the time of apprehension by the Police.

The third Home Guard, Sayanna apprehended by the Police, although was not by himself involved in extortion, but was a mute spectator and did not inform about the illegal activities to Inspector in Charge, RPF, Secunderabad station or any superior officer. Hence, he is also considered guilty in the case.

In the background of the incident, the supervision on the Home Guards working for Railways will be tightened and any Home Guard, against whom information of being involved in objectionable activities is received in future, will be promptly repatriated.