RAILWAY PROTECTION FORCE

RAILWAY PROTECTION FORCE

In 1854 when East Indian Railways employed certain staff designated as ‘Police’ to denote its own force by enacting the Police Act, 1861 and deployed a contingent for the security of the railway with the owner companies bearing their upkeep. On the recommendation of Railway Police Committee, 1872, Railway Police was organized into ‘Government Police’ for Law enforcement and ‘Company Police’ for watch and ward duties in Railways. The actual separation of duties came into effect in 1881. By 1882, as a result of formal division of the Police Force deployed on the railways into ‘Government Police’ and ‘Private (Companies) Police’, the Railway Companies directly assumed the responsibility of protection and Security of their property as well as of the goods entrusted to them by public for carriage. It was only on August 29, 1957 that a Railway Protection Force Act was enacted by the parliament and Railway Security Force was renamed as Railway Protection Force (RPF). Its emblem depicts golden wreath encircling the acronym ‘RPF’ placed in a blue circle bordered by red circle written ‘Railway Suraksha Bal’ in Devanagari  also in white, atop which is the coveted Ashoka Lion Capital. Beneath, in a red coloured banner, is emblazoned the motto of this force ‘यशो लबस्व’ meaning ‘Wealth of Profit’.