Caught napping Lal Chowk-bound BJP activists head back home

Mumbai, Jan 24 (PTI) The 1800 odd BJP workers fromKarnataka were literally caught napping when Maharashtrapolice sent their Delhi-bound train back home, foiling theirplans to attend the controversial Republic Day flag hoistingat Srinagar''s Lal Chowk.

Throwing their plans off the track, the Maharashtraadministration on early Sunday morning turned back the Delhibound special train from Bengaluru when most of the partyworkers were asleep.

In a well planned move, three additional coaches witharound 200 Maharashtra policemen were attached to the trainreserved for BJP workers when it arrived at Daund station nearAhmednagar around 1.30 am.

The train was then taken to Sarola-Kasar station wherean announcement was made by the Railways that it was beingtaken back to Bengaluru. Some of the occupants got suspiciouswhen the announcement was repeated at Solapur station leadingto heated arguments with police, but by then it was too late.

"It is true that we sent the train back as directed bythe state Home Department and Railway officials," AhmednagarSuperintendent of Police Krishna Prakash told PTI.

"No untoward incident was reported and we safely sentthem back to Bengaluru. We were just carrying out the orders,"Prakash, who supervised the operation said.

A protest was organised today by the local BJP unitat Ahmednagar Collectorate where they shouted slogans againstthe Congress-led governments in the state and the centre. Theprotestors alleged there was a nexus between radical Muslimsin Jammu and Kashmir and Congress.