Investigators of the 7/7 London bombings identified four bombers using CCTV footage. With no CCTVs installed in any of the suburban railway stations in Mumbai, investigators of today’s multiple bomb blasts do not even have that chance. And it isn’t that nobody had thought of installing them at Mumbai’s heavily crowded suburban railway stations. ‘‘Several detailed proposal have been put before the Western Railways to install CCTVs particularly at suburban stations since they cater to such huge numbers of people,’’ a top Railway Protection Force (RPF) official in New Delhi told The Indian Express. ‘‘RPF’s Chief Security Commissioner has often conveyed the need to enhance the overall security scenario at these stations to senior railway officials in Mumbai,’’ he added. The entire underground stretch of Delhi Metro as well as the Metro stations are under constant surveillance through CCTVs. But the Railways, according to RPF officials, has been slow on security measures proposed for Mumbai’s suburban stations. Meanwhile, RPF officials in New Delhi again sought to bring to the fore the need for greater security at railway stations. An RPF official said around eight to 10 RPF personnel were deployed at these stations and it wasn’t adequate. This had led them to explore security options like CCTVs and dog squads, he added. RPF personnel presently had reportedly come down to 66,000 from 70,000 in the 1960s. RPF officials said that even if the intelligence agency had any inputs the RPF had not received any information. Rail Bhawan sources said Home Secretary V.K. Duggal’s July 21 meeting in Bhubaneswar with the Railway authorities and security agencies of Naxal-affected states was now also likely to look at the overall security scenario of the Indian Railways network. Facing a lot of heat from Naxal affected areas, Railways have suffered more than 25 strikes carried out by Left-wing extremists this year. The proposal to set up a Federal Force exclusively for Railways mandated to tackle acts of terrorism is also likely to gather steam now. ‘‘There is a talk of merging Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police and widen their scope of work by giving them more powers and responsibilities,’’ said Railway Board chairman J.P. Batra. RPF officials said only a Federal Police having a sizeable strength and equipped with baggage checking equipment, dog squads and CCTVs could prevent such incidents from taking place. Reactions Pakistan • ‘‘Pakistan strongly condemns the series of bomb blasts on commuter trains in Mumbai. This despicable act of terrorism has resulted in the loss of a large number of precious lives,’’ said a Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement. The statement added that Musharraf and Aziz had also strongly condemned the ‘‘terrorist attack’’, and expressed condolences over the loss of life. United States • ‘‘These are senseless acts of violence designed to strike at those innocent people who are just going about their daily lives, people who are commuting home on a train. And so it was a terrible tragedy for the people of India and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time,’’ US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. Afghanistan • ‘‘This terrorist act is shocking and despicable. It is aimed at killing innocent civilians and I condemn it in the strongest terms,’’ Afghan president Ahmed Karzai. — Agencies
