Fifty Sagarika train passengers fined
Irangika RANGE
The special team comprising 32 security officers attached to the Sri
Lanka Railway Protection Force (RPF) conducting a surprise raid on the
Sagarika train operating between Galle and Maradana (No-97) yesterday
arrested 50 people traveling without tickets and other offenses.
RPF Sub Inspector W S Jayasekara told the Daily News that the RPF
team boarded the Sagarika train at the Moratuwa railway station at
around 7a.m.
"We collected Rs 21,000 in fines in keeping with Section 7 of the
Railways Act," he said. Several passengers who failed to pay the fines
were released on surety bail under Section 8 of the Railways Act. They
were given two weeks to pay their penalty. "The revenue is expected to
increase to Rs 36,000 when these fines are paid," he said. Security
officers of railway stations at Colombo Fort, Maradana, GMR Office,
Ragama, Veyangoda, Wellawatta, Kandy and Kurunegala conducted the sudden
raid under the special instructions of RPF's Superintendent JMNS
Jayasena.
Offenses included travelling without tickets, travelling in second
class using a third class ticket, travelling beyond the destination
mentioned in the ticket, trading and begging. He further said that fines
amounting to Rs 620 and Rs 850 respectively were imposed for major
offenses like travelling without tickets and travelling second class
using third class tickets. "The sudden raids will be further conducted
in addition to routine checks thereby helping increase the revenue of
the Railways," Jayasekera said.
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