Women brigade disrupt train services to protest price rise

Patna, Apr 24 (UNI) Launching a tirade against soaring prices, hundreds of women activists under the banner of National Women Brigade assembled at Patna Railway Junction early today and paralysed train movement for nearly four hours.

Railway sources said here that women carrying bamboo sticks, swords and daggers squatted on the railway tracks and virtually took over the entire Patna Junction, paralysing movement of several Passenger and Express trains.

The sources admitted that the administration found it difficult to handle the women, who appeared suddenly at the Junction at around 0500 hours.

Divided into several groups, a group of women brigade stopped the moving Farakka Express at Sachiwalay halt at around 0545 hours and forcibly entered the train's engine cabin and halted the train.

Other trains which were affected by the agitation included 3111 Lalkila Express which was stalled at Mokama station from 0500 hours.

2351 Danapur-Howrah Express remains stalled at Tal area since 0540 hours, 3039 Janata Express at Hathidah railway station, 3236 Sahebganj-Danapur Intercity Express at Phulwarisharif, 8184 Tata Super Fast at Danapur station, 3483 Farakka Express at Sachiwalay halt, 5026 passenger train at Danapur railway station and others.

All trains scheduled from anytime after 0500 hours have been stalled.

It was only after intervention by the local police and administration, the Railway Protection Force(RPF) and GRP personnel that the agitators could be removed and train services resumed at 0940 hours.

The movement of all trains had been affected due to the agitation and they were running more than four hours behind schedule.

There was a similar situation at Nalanda and some other districts, where agitating women disrupted train services this morning.

Even requests from passengers fell on deaf ears.

UNI RS LL KLC1224