Train Services Hit for Nearly 2 Hours in Bengaluru Station After Protest

Train services were affected for nearly two hours at the city station causing inconvenience to hundreds of passengers tonight as railway staff staged a protest, demanding release of one of their colleagues arrested on the charge of illegally auctioning abandoned vehicles at the parking lot.

The staff, who alleged that the case was a false one and foisted on the parcel supervisor, withdrew the agitation after being persuaded by top police officials.

"Train services were affected from 6.30 pm to 8.15 pm at the city railway station after our staff staged protested the arrest of our official by foisting a false case against him. Now, all the trains have started and ticket counters opened," Bengaluru Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Sanjiv Agarwal told PTI.

As many as six to eight trains were stopped and around 8,000 passengers were stranded at the station for nearly two hours, he said.

Police officials led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Division) Labhu Ram, rushed to the station for negotiations and after much deliberation, the protesters called off their agitation following an assurance by the police that they would not be harassed, Mr Agarwal said.

"This is not the first time, we have faced the vindictive police. They had done it before. But for now, we have called off agitation after they assured us of no harassment from their side," he said.

Agarwal said on April 5, railway official Pandurang, designated as parcel supervisor, was arrested for allegedly illegally auctioning vehicles abandoned at the parking lot.

Police also alleged the railway authorities had auctioned vehicles after "stealing" them, Mr Agarwal said.

The DRM contended that the arrest was illegal as the state police as "the state police do not have jurisdiction to interfere into our affairs."

"Moreover, the police have not given any prior notice to the railway authorities questioning the conduct of auction," Mr Agarwal said.

Pandurang was now in judicial custody, he added.