GRP, police personnel injured in brickbatting by passengers

At least six GRP and police personnel were today injured in brickbatting by two groups of passengers when the security forces tried to remove them from the tracks at Khardah station during a protest against Railway's decision to convert four coaches of a ladies special train to general compartments.
Seven persons were also arrested, police said.
The trouble started this morning when male and female passengers launched seperate sit-ins on the tracks at the Khardah station on the Sealdah-Krishnagar section of Eastern Railway, a GRP official said.
Women passengers were protesting against the Railway's decision to convert four EMU coaches of ladies special, Ranaghat Matribhumi local, into general compartments, while men squatted in support the decision.

A GRP official said women passengers protesting against the decision launched agitation from 8 AM. Male passengers supporting the decision, launched a counter agitation from 10 AM till 12.40 PM.
As the protests turned acrimonious, the railway station turned into a war zone with the groups exchanging brickbats.

When police and GRP failed to disperse the protesters, police resorted to teargas shelling and lathi charge to disperse the protesters, Commissioner of Police Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, Niraj Kumar Singh, who rushed to the station said, adding more police had been called in to control the law and order situation.
Train services on the Sealdah-Krishnagar section was disrupted till 12-20 PM.

Contingents of RAF and combat force have been posted in the area as a precautionary measure, Singh said.
Seven arrests have been made, Singh said, adding that injured police personnel were hospitalised.