Prevention and detection of crime committed against passengers traveling by train and their properties and also maintenance of law and order in the railway premises are the direct responsibilities of the Railway Police working under the control of National Police Headquarters as well as Ministry of Home Affairs. The general duties of the staff and jurisdiction of railway police have been enumerated in the Police Regulation of Bengal 1943. The duties as are under:

(1) Control of passenger traffic inside the station premises more particularly on the platforms, in the booking offices, waiting halls at the entrance and exit gates and wherever specially required on emergencies by the station officials.

(2)The control of vehicular and other traffic in the station compound.

(3)The maintenance of law and order at stations and in standing passengers trains, prevention of over crowding,etc.

(4) Watching loaded passenger trains when standing in stations.

(5) The arrest of those found committing nuisances or suffering from infectious diseases and keeping the station premises clear of idlers and beggars.

6) The examination of all empty carriages on arrival at terminal station for property left behind by passengers and to see that carriage fittings have not been tampered with

(7) The removal of bodies and persons dying in the train and on station premises and the conveyance to hospital of the sick passengers.

(8) Investigation into cognizable offences committed within railway limits and prevention of the same.

(9) The arrest of offenders in cognizable cases and detention of them in custody as well as persons arrested by Railway officers and made over to the Police and their production before the Magistrate.

(10) The reporting on non-cognizable cases or infringement of bye-laws of the line to the proper authorities as also all instances of oppression or fraud on the part of railway sub-ordinates or others. 

(11) The prosecution of cognizable cases as well as non-cognizable cases under Railway Act, 1890 on behalf of the management.

Jurisdiction of Railway Police

The rules to the District Police contained in other chapters of Police regulation-1943 shall be applicable to the Railway Police, unless the country appears from the context or from rules in this chapter. The jurisdiction of the Railway Police extends- Over all open lines, i.e., lines open for the public carriage of passengers, animals or goods within the railway fencing and where there is no such fencing, up to 10 feet from the outer rail on either side but not over any mill or colliery sidings other than those on railway land worked for the purposes of the Railway concerned.