Patliputra Station Unrest: Railways Announce On-Demand Trains, Strict Action Against Disruptors

Top Summary

• What happened: Agitation by examinees at Patliputra Station late Saturday night escalated into stone-pelting and disruption of train services.
• Why it matters: The unrest led to injuries among police officials, including Patna IG Jitendra Rana, and caused significant travel disruption for examinees and commuters.
• What changes: Railways will now run special 'Train on Demand' (TOD) services within half an hour based on passenger numbers; strict legal action will be taken against those involved in the violence.
• Who is affected: Examinees facing travel issues, commuters at Patliputra Station, police, and railway authorities are directly impacted.

Patliputra Station Sees Unrest, New Rail Policy Introduced

Patna witnessed significant unrest at Patliputra Station late Saturday night after examinees agitated, prompting Railway authorities to implement a major policy change. The disturbance led to clashes, with police resorting to lathi-charge and tear gas to control the situation.

In response to the chaos, Railways have announced a new measure: special 'Train on Demand' (TOD) services will now operate within half an hour if a large crowd of examinees gathers, aiming to ensure smoother travel.

Unrest Escalates, Officials Injured During Clashes

The agitation at Patliputra Station saw miscreants pelting stones, resulting in injuries to several officials. Patna IG Jitendra Rana sustained a neck injury, and other police personnel were also hurt during the incident.

According to IG Jitendra Rana, approximately 200-250 antisocial elements, masquerading as students, prevented trains from departing. They caused widespread disruption for nearly two hours, leading to the necessary police intervention.

"Students like three-four hundred youths came around 11:45 PM, their objective was to disturb. They sat on the tracks demanding a special train," said Rail IG Amresh Kumar.

Police were forced to use tear gas, aerial firing, and lathi-charge to bring the situation under control after initial efforts to persuade the crowd failed.

Railways Implement 'Train on Demand' Policy for Examinees

Addressing the recurring travel challenges faced by examinees, the Railways have decided to run TOD trains promptly. This decision aims to manage large crowds efficiently and prevent future disruptions.

"Considering the number of examinees, a decision will be taken to run the related direction's TOD within half an hour," stated a railway official.

The Danapur Division alone ran 15 TODs on Sunday to accommodate the examinee rush. Saraswati Chandra, Public Relations Officer for East Central Railway, confirmed the availability of special racks in every division to support this new policy.

The process to dispatch TODs will commence as soon as a significant surge in examinee numbers is observed, ensuring minimal wait times and improved connectivity.

Strict Action Initiated Against Disruptors

Authorities have initiated stern measures against those responsible for the violence at Patliputra Station. FIRs will be lodged against individuals identified from photographs and video footage collected during the incident.

The focus is on identifying and prosecuting the antisocial elements who orchestrated the stone-pelting and severely disrupted railway operations, ensuring accountability for the damages and injuries caused.

"Strict action will be taken against those who caused the disturbance," emphasised railway and police officials.

What to Watch Next

Ongoing monitoring will assess the effective implementation of the new TOD policy at various stations, particularly during peak examination periods. Further updates are expected on the identification and legal proceedings against the miscreants involved in the Patliputra Station incident, as authorities continue their investigation.