NF Railway threatens to suspend train services

Guwahati, Jul 29 (UNI) The North East Frontier Railway (NFR) has threatened to stop train services between Guwahati and Jogighopa, alleging that the Assam government has failed to provide adequate security to the NFR's employees and property.

Earlier, the passenger train service in the Lumding-Badarpur section was suspended since the past 75 days following continuous attacks by miscreants on the trains and their personnel.

NF Railway spokesperson Samir Goswami said the railway authorities had brought to the notice of the state government the increasing number of attacks in the Guwahati-Goalpara section leading to the death of a driver.

''If such activities continue and the safety of railway employees is endangered, train services may be stopped on the section as the railway administration was compelled to do in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section,'' Mr Goswami said.

Miscreants' activities, including throwing stones at running trains in Guwahati-Goalpara section of the NFR, had affected train operations as these were causing serious injuries to railway employees and damage to railway property.

On July 14, when 2346 Dn Howrah-bound Saraighat Express was passing through Ranjuli and Dudhnoi stations at about 1500 hours, some miscreants threw a pandral clip (an iron material used to fix the rails with the sleepers in the railway tracks) at the train.

Following the incident, Assistant Driver Shankar Jee (34), who was on duty in the locomotive, was seriously injured and subsequently died at Central Hospital, Maligaon, on July 25.

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