At the time, these real-life crime stories and consequent trials were the rage. Having written extensively on western crime, he decided to turn towards the east and the first book he produced was called Oriental Crime, published in 1908. The information was gathered entirely from talking to British civil servants. The second such book was specific to India and was titled The Indian Criminal. The information for this too was obtained in a similar way. The preface stated, "This work has been compiled mainly from verbal and documentary information from various sources, vouchsafed me by gentlemen who have spent many years in the East in administrative capacities; also from information derived from officials still actively engaged in India, and who have been good enough to place themselves in communication with me." To state it explicitly, he never visited India.
Published in 1909, this had two chapters on thieves in railways. Adam divided the railway thief into seven classes: the Bhamptas of the Deccan; the Ina Koravars, alias Alagaries, of southern India; the Bharwars of Gonda and Lallatpur; the Mullahs of Muttra; the Bhatrajas or Bhattu Turakas of India; the Takku Woddars or Guntichores of southern India: and the railway pickpockets of India. He also added the "Indian railway servant" to the list. The Indian railway servant did not generally find favourable mention; trust and responsibility were vested in English railway servants, typically guards and engine drivers. "One might add to these, another class, consisting of railway servants themselves, although they are not, like those mentioned above, hereditary criminals. They are, however, very daring thieves, and give the authorities a great deal of trouble." Despite our caveat about guards and engine drivers, Adam wrote: "As already mentioned, the railway servants themselves also commit thefts, and give the authorities a great deal of trouble. Guards, porters and even station masters engage in these thefts, mostly of goods in transit." This remarkable book mentions the modus operandi of each of these categories of thieves and also their antecedents. He also tried to decode their lingo, specifically, the code language used by the Ina Koravars. In his opinion, groups from the Deccan, southern India and Gonda and Lallatpur were the most skilful and thus, deceitful.
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If you are wondering about the south India emphasis, that's because Adam didn't get all his information from civil servants, retired or otherwise. He also got it from a book he mentions in the preface. This was a book by M Paupa Rao Naidu. It was published in 1904 by Higginbotham's and was titled, The History of Railway Thieves, With Hints on Detection. Like Adam, Paupa Rao Naidu had broader interests. He wrote books titled, The History of Professional Poisoners and Coiners of India, The History of Korawars, Erukulas or Kaikaries and The History of Bauris, Sansis, Chapperbands, Cabulees and Iranies.
Who addressed the issue of crime In the railways? As railway networks spread, they understandably provided new opportunities for crime, on trains, at stations and even in freight sheds. There was an Indian Police Commission in 1902-03 that had several comments about the railway police. As background, it was in 1854 that the EIRC (East Indian Railway Company) first employed some staff and called them "police", though the Police Act of 1861 had not yet been passed. Once the Police Act of 1861 had been passed, the government of India possessed its own police and a contingent of this was deployed for the security of the railways. The railway company, often private, bore 75 per cent of the costs and the government bore the remainder. In 1882, all police on the railways were formally divided into "government police" and "private police", the latter being employed by companies. The railway companies were thus directly responsible for protection and security, for passengers, property and goods and they started employing chowkidars. Thus, it continued until the Railway Police (Thomson) Committee of 1921. More accurately, this committee was established in 1907 and submitted its report in 1921. Since incidents of crime were increasing, this committee recommended that the chowkidari system be reorganised. It metamorphosed into a watch-and-ward system and post-Independence, became the RPF (Railway Protection Force).
Many people think the RPF stands for Railway Police Force. It doesn't. The relevant "police" for railways is the GRP (Government Railway Police). The RPF is a security force. Through the Ministry of Railways, it is under the control of the Union government. You don't become "police" until you are recognised under the 1861 Police Act. Law and order is a state subject and the GRP is under the control of state governments, though following that earlier practice, the Indian Railways) bears 50 per cent of the costs of the GRP.
The writer is a member of the National Institution for Transforming India Aayog. The views are personal