New Delhi, Mar 16 (IANS): The Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Wednesday said that it has rescued 2,201 minors - 1,488 boys and 713 girls - so far this year.

In February itself, 1,156 children - 787 boys, and 369 girls - in need of care and protection were rescued in follow-up action in coordination with the NGOs, the force said in a statement.

The RPF also said that its personnel, especially women, who currently form about 9 per cent of total strength, go out of the way to help pregnant women, who go into labour during their train journeys, in childbirth under "Operation Matrishakti".

During February, woman RPF personnel provided assistance to 9 such women passengers and were instrumental in the birth of their children.

"We have provided help in 16 such cases in 2022," it stated.

It also said that many passengers forget to take all their belongings in the rush to catch a train or while leaving the station, and RPF personnel help in securing such belongings and restoring them to the rightful owners under "Operation Amanat".

It said that it retrieved 1,746 passengers' belongings valued to the tune of more than Rs 2.93 crore under this operation during February. "In 2022, we have secured and returned left behind luggage to the tune of Rs 5.74 crore to their rightful owners," the RPF statement said.

In order to focus attention to drive against smuggling of narcotics through rail, RPF has launched "Operation NARCOS", and under this operation, it has recovered narcotic products valued at Rs 2.28 crore, and arrested 67 persons, in this connection, during February 2022. The figure of seizure has crossed Rs 3.82 crore with the arrest of 248 persons in the year 2022 so far.