Railway employees stop trains after arrest of official

Several trains were stopped at the city railway station after the railway staff staged a protest demanding release of a grade one official arrested for allegedly illegally auctioning abandoned vehicles at parking lot.
"Since half hour or so, as many as six to seven trains have been stopped at Majestic railway station as our staff is protesting the arrest of our official by the police," a South Western Railways official told PTI here.
As many as 8,000 passengers are stranded at the station in ten platforms, the official said.
Giving account of the problem, he said on April 5, a railway official Pandurang, designated as parcel supervisor, was arrested for allegedly illegally auctioning the vehicles abandoned at the parking lot.

Police also alleged that the railway authorities have auctioned vehicles after "stealing" them, the official stated.
The official argued that the arrest itself was illegal, for the state police "does not enjoy the jurisdiction to handle matters related to railways. The state police do not have jurisdiction to interfere into our affairs," he said.

"Moreover, the police have not given any prior notice to the railway authorities questioning the conduct of auction," the official said.
"Firstly, the police do not have any authority to interfere into our affairs and moreover, they don't even serve a notice before initiating action. It is illegal and amounts to high-handedness," he added.

Pandurang is now in judicial custody, the official added.