7 hurt as mob ransacks Nandurbar railway station;attacks cops

A mob hurled stones and ransacked Nandurbar railway station in Maharashtra over alleged inaction by police in taking action against a man accused of molesting a woman passenger on train, prompting police to fire tear gas shells on Sunday night.

Seven persons, including two police officers--one of the GRP and another belonging to the city police--three constables, and two passengers on platforms were injured in the incident.

According to a police official, a mob gathered near a mosque in Patelwadi in the north Maharashtra city after word spread that a 35-year-old woman was allegedly molested by her co-passenger and that police have apparently failed to take any action.

The mob hurled stones at police and ransacked the railway station, he said, adding that a reinforcement was called in along with a contingent of riot control police to control the situation.

Police also lobbed tear gas shells to disperse protesters, he said.

A case has been registered against various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rioting.

Three persons have been arrested and further investigation is underway, the official added.

According to sources, the woman, a Nandurbar resident, had alleged that she was inappropriately touched by a male passenger of a train but the railway police failed to take any action against him.