Gun-smuggling in trains raises alarm in Odisha; DGP convenes high-level security meeting

In a worrying development, criminals are reportedly using trains as channels for illegal arms trade. Rising concerns over railway security prompted Odisha's Director General of Police (DGP) to hold an urgent high-level meeting on Monday to address how to curb these threats, especially before the world-famous Rath Yatra festivities.

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According to sources, a spike in gun smuggling via train routes has set off security alarms across the State. Authorities are increasingly concerned that criminal elements are choosing railway tracks and premises as ‘safe zones’ to transport and trade illegal firearms, posing a significant challenge to law enforcement agencies.

Key meeting focuses on intelligence alerts

In response, DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania chaired a key meeting at the DGP camp office. The discussion centred on strategies to disrupt and prevent such unlawful activities within railway premises. The meeting comes in light of repeated complaints and intelligence alerts about illegal arms movement on trains.

Key railway and security officials including DG Railway and Coast Guard Arun Bothra, East Coast Range IG Alok Bora, South East Range IG Sanjay Mishra, South East Central Railway (SECR) IG Manohar Khursid, senior Divisional Railway Managers (DRM), Railway Superintendents, and senior officials from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) were present during the discussion.

The officials also reviewed special security arrangements for the upcoming Rath Yatra, the 9-day annual sojourn of the Holy Trinity, during which there is an expected surge in passenger traffic. Discussions emphasised coordinated patrolling, intelligence sharing, and deployment of additional personnel to safeguard passengers and prevent any criminal activity during the festival.

The Odisha Police and Railway authorities are now working on a joint operational plan to ensure railways remain secure corridors and are not exploited by crime networks.