72 trains cancelled following violence at Secunderabad station
Team Clarion
HYDERABAD — One person died and eight other injured in Police firing at the Secunderabad railway station on Friday as the Agipath protesters went berserk.
According to media reports, hundreds of protesters barged into the railway tracks and platforms damaging the food stalls, luggages, and partially torching a goods compartment. A few two-wheelers too were set on fire.
As the Police reached at the spot, protesters reportedly began pelting stones at the Police.
“The general railway police (GRP) forces were forced to open fire at the angry mob after lathi-charge and tear gas shells failed to bring the protests under control,” a senior police official said, according to reports.
Police allegedly opened around 15 rounds of fire to control the mob. Two police constables too were reportedly injured in the stone pelting.
The protesters also set fire to a couple of bogies of the Kolkata-bound East Coast Express that was leaving the station. They also partially set fire to some bogies of th Ajanta Express and the multi-modal transport system (MMTS) trains.
Meanwhile, due to the violence that rocked Secunderabad railway station, Railway authorities have cancelled as many as 72 trains.
The South Central Railway (SCR) also partially cancelled 12 trains and diverted three others.
All trains originating from Secunderabad or passing through the station were cancelled following violent protest by hundreds of youth against the Central government’s new army recruitment policy “Agnipath”.
A SCR official said train services were suspended to ensure safety of the travelling public.
The cancellation of trains and the confusion that prevailed about operation of some trains caused severe inconvenience to passengers.
