GRP accepts ‘harassment’ plaint from specially-abled person

Siliguri: With mounting pressure from different quarters along with intervention of Superintendent of Railway Police (SRP), the Government Railway Police (GRP), NJP, finally accepted the written complaint pertaining to harassment of a specially-abled passenger on Darjeeling Mail Express train.

Arunav Pal Chowdhury, a specially-abled passenger, had gone to NJP GRP office and lodged a written complaint on Saturday regarding harassment while travelling from Kolkata. However, his complaint was accepted by the GRP. Arunav, a resident of Siliguri, boarded the compartment designated for specially-abled persons on the Darjeeling Mail Express train from Sealdah to Siliguri on Friday night.

He alleged that there were three persons in the same coach who were without tickets and introduced themselves as GRP and misbehaved with him. They allegedly consumed alcohol inside the compartment and asked Arunav to get out of the compartment.

When Arunav protested, they threatened to throw him from the train. They also occupied his seat and forced him to sit on the floor. He alleged that when he informed the on-duty GRP official on the train about the matter, the official asked him to compromise with them.

On Saturday morning, when the train arrived at NJP Station, he informed NJP GRP about the matter, but they refused to accept his complaint. Meanwhile, all three accused fled. Later, when the matter was reported to the media, Selvamurugan, SRP of Siliguri GRP, intervened. The Inspector in-charge of NJP GRP, called Arunav and asked him to lodge a complaint. Accordingly, he lodged the complaint on Sunday.