In addition to enforcement, DFCCIL is conducting awareness drives in villages to highlight the risks and punishments of railway property theft.
In a strong demonstration of vigilance and modern technology in railway safety, the security team of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corp. of India Ltd (DFCCIL) busted an organised gang involved in the theft of elastic rail clips (ERCs) in the Ambala section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC).
During the last week of December 2025, repeated incidents of ERC theft were reported in the New Jaroda Nara-New Mansurpur section under the EDFC Ambala Unit. ERCs are critical components for track stability and safe train operations, and their removal poses serious risks to train movement. To curb these incidents, DFCCIL’s security personnel adopted an innovative GPS‑based tracking strategy, which led to the arrest of three thieves and one receiver of stolen property.
The operation was led by Ashish Mishra, General Group Manager Security, EDFC, who, along with his team, cracked the case within 24 hours.
The first theft was reported on the night of December 27-28, when 309 ERCs were stolen from the track. DFCCIL’s security team immediately launched an intensive search operation and recovered the stolen material from a nearby sugarcane field, preventing any immediate threat to rail safety. Anticipating a repeat attempt, the team adopted a preventive approach.
GPS trackers were discreetly concealed inside two bags of ERCs and placed back at the vulnerable location to enable continuous digital surveillance. As anticipated, the thieves struck again on the night of December 30-31, stealing 486 ERCs and hiding them under a DFCCIL culvert. Unaware that GPS‑enabled bags had been taken along, the culprits were tracked in real time.
Acting swiftly on live location inputs, DFCCIL security coordinated with local police, intercepted a tractor‑trolley carrying the stolen ERCs, and arrested three accused on the spot. Further investigation led to the arrest of another individual involved in receiving the stolen material, bringing the total arrests to four.
Alongside enforcement action, DFCCIL has launched awareness drives in nearby villages, educating residents about the dangers and legal consequences of railway property theft. Villagers have been advised to maintain a safe distance from DFC railway tracks and refrain from tampering with or stealing railway equipment, as such acts constitute punishable offences.