This Article is From Sep 24, 2012

Three Rajdhani trains stopped for hours by BJP leader in Jharkhand

Three Rajdhani trains stopped for hours by BJP leader in Jharkhand
Ranchi: For four hours today, three Rajdhani trains from Delhi were stranded in different places in Jharkhand because a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and his supporters sat on railway tracks, holding them hostage. From 5 this morning, these men refused to let the trains move only clearing the tracks after Railway authorities intervened at about 9 am. (Vote: Should public representatives be punished for holding citizens to ransom?

Amit Yadav, the MLA from Parkatta, had said he would be on a 5 am to 5 pm protest against Rajdhanis and other prestigious trains not having scheduled stops at Parsabad in his constituency. Two of the trains stopped were West Bengal bound, one was headed to Odisha. The Howrah Rajdhani was stalled at Sharmatand, the Sealdah Rajdhani at Parsabad, and the Bhubaneswar Rajdhani at the Koderma Railway station.

The BJP protesters climbed on to the engines for photo opportunities and raised slogans even as men in uniform sat by the tracks watching. Hapless passengers could do little as they waited for the trains to move. Sources said the local administration knew about the MLA's plans, but took no preventive action.

It was only after the railway authorities assured the protesters that their demands would be looked into that they cleared the tracks.

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