Nagpur: There is a steady increase in the number of deaths reported in Government Railway Police’s (GRP) Nagpur Division since the year 2020. In 39 months since January 1, 2020, as many as 708 persons have lost their lives, reveals the response from the office of the Superintendent of Police (Railway), Nagpur, in reply to a query under Right to Information Act.
Nagpur-based activist Abhay Kolarkar had sought information regarding the deaths in the area under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of Police (Railway), Nagpur for the period between January 1, 2020 and March 31, 2023. Hemant Shinde, Public Information Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Railways, Nagpur, provided the sought information in reply.
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15April 2025
As per the RTI information, as many as 155 persons died in 2020. The number rose to 190 in 2021, followed by a further rise to 298 in 2022. In the first three months of the current year 2023, 65 persons have died so far. Thus, the data reveals that a total of 708 persons have died in 39 months, and the number is increasing every year.
Further analysis of the deaths reveals that a maximum 157 persons died while crossing railway lines at different locations during the above said period. These included 46 each in 2020 and 2021, and 53 in 2022. In 2023, from January 1 to March 31, a total of 12 persons died while crossing the railway lines. Another major reason behind deaths in GRP’s Nagpur Division is fall from the train. In 2020, 26 persons died as they fell from the train. The number of such deaths rose to 36 in 2021. It rose further to 52 in 2022. In the first three months of 2023, 15 persons have died under this category.
Thus, 129 persons have died due to fall from the train. The third major reason behind deaths in Nagpur Division is death by suicide. Of total 110 deaths by suicide reported in the Division, 27 deaths were reported in 2020, 29 in 2021, 44 in 2022, and 10 in the first quarter of 2023. Besides, six deaths due to electric shock have been reported in the Division in 39 months. These include one each 2020 and 2022, three in 2021, and one in the first three months of 2023.
There is one case in which a person died as he hit the electric pole. In reply to a question, the said office stated that only one person died due to negligence of Railways. This incident happened under the jurisdiction of Wardha Railway Police Station. However, so far, no compensation has been paid.
During the period from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, total 1,254 thefts took place in the jurisdiction of the said office. In these thefts, the booty stolen was worth over Rs 6.18 lakh. As per the response to Kolarkar’s query, of a total 584 sanctioned posts in Nagpur Division of Government Railway Police, 46 are vacant. The vacant posts include three of Assistant Sub-Inspector, five of Police Constable, 38 of Police Amaldar.
