DYFI stages rail-roko across Bengal, demands employment in vacant seats

Kolkata: A rail-roko oragnised by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) demanding employment in vacant posts in rail way services, disrupted train services in various sections of Eastern and South Eastern Railways on Friday.

Passengers faced serious inconvenience with agitators squatting on the railway tracks at different stations on Friday morning. Four women activists of DYFI who were staging demonstration at Jadavpur station suffered injuries as they fell on the railway track in the process of distancing themselves when a Sealdah bound local train moved towards them.

They were taken to KPC Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Following the incident, the other activists became furious and staged demonstration in front of the office of a railway official at the station.

The squatters sat on tracks at around 11 am on Friday in Jadavpur, Dhakuria, Panagarh, Durgapur, Kaharagpur, Midnapore, Nadia and Malda and many other districts. As a result, many trains were stranded at various stations at peak hours in both Howrah and Sealdah divisions.

Thousands of commuters faced inconvenience while many had to return home after hours of waiting at different platforms while some others availed bus services to reach their work places.

DYFI's demand was to fill up the vacant posts in Railway Services and improvement of the amenities for passenger services.

There had been some commotion at the Dhakuria station where TMC run labour union workers reportedly prevented some agitators from pulling out the driver

from his cabin.

However, the RPF and GRP personnel arrived on time to bring the situation under control. A chaos broke out when RPF prevented the DYFI activists from stopping trains at Suri in Birbhum. There were similar situations at Rampurhat and Bolpur stations as well.

A press statement issued by the railways said that obstructions had taken place at different stations in the Sealdah Main Line Section between 11.45 am and 12.10 pm at Kanchrapara, Pyaradanga, Dhubulia and Berhampur stations.

The agitation continued in the Sealdah South section from 11.00 am to 12.50 pm affecting rail services. In the Circular Railway, obstruction was made at BBD Bag Circular railway station from 11.45 am to 12.10 pm.

As a result of this, eight EMU Locals (4 Up and 4 Down) had to be detained enroute for 20 minutes each on an average in the main section.

There was, however, no cancellation of trains. In the South section, fourteen EMU Locals (5 Up and 9 Down) had to be detained enroute for 25 minutes each on an average. Two pairs of EMU Locals had to be cancelled in the South section.