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| J&K-bound train carrying BJP activists sent back, workers protest | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
bangalore, Jan 23: In what can be seen as first major step to prevent forward movement of BJYM and BJP activists towards J&K, Police and railway officials here hoodwinked the Bharatiya Janata Party activists headed to Jammu and Kashmir for the Republic Day flag hoisting and shunted their special train back to Karnataka early this morning. The Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Express, whose 18 bogies were full of Karnataka BJP youth activists, arrived at Sarola station in the district and was due for onward departure to the north.
The activists, estimated at around 1,500, were scheduled to join other colleagues from different states for the party's Tiranga Yatra in Srinagar Jan 26.
However, the centre and Jammu and Kashmir government have already announced that political activists from other states would not be allowed to disturb peace in the state. The local railway authorities here acted swiftly to thwart the onward journey of the train.
When the train halted here, they blacked out Sarola railway station. Taking advantage of the blanket of darkness, they detached the train's engine and attached it to the rear of the train.
Two more bogies with around 150 Railway Protection Force personnel were also attached to the train and around 1.30 a.m., it "started" its journey - but in the reverse direction and back to Karnataka.
It was only too late when the BJP workers, many of them fast asleep, in the train realized that they had been taken for a ride and halted the train at Nagansur station on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border. A railway official said that "the drastic measure was implemented in order to avoid any untoward situation in Maharashtra."
The police operation resulted in delays of two other trains traversing by the route.
Meanwhile, the BJP workers from Karnataka going to Kashmir in a train to take part in 'Tiranga Yatra' but diverted back in Maharashtra, held a protest in Gulbarga for what they alleged a 'forced evacuation'.
Karnataka Express, which left the city on Friday night, was carrying nearly 2,000 BJP workers who were to take part in the 'yatra' to hoist tricolour in Srinagar on January 26.
After the train was sent back from a station near Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, it entered the state borders and about 200 workers from Gulbarga and surroundings were made to alight at Ganagapur.
When the train did not stop at Gulbarga station and proceeded at a fast pace, the alarmed BJP workers pulled the chain and stopped it one km away from the major junction.
They demanded explanation from the officials for the reason they were 'forcibly' being taken back. The workers also complained that no water or food was supplied to them since last night.
Top officials, including Superintendent of Police Padmanayana, rushed to the spot and pacified the BJP men. Water and food was arranged in a hurry.
He said arrangements for food and water was made at Raichur station, about three hour journey from here. But the workers protested against the 'ill treatment'.
A group from Mangalore complained that the trains never stopped at stations for long on the way back so that they could refill their water bottles. However, the train was halted for hours in wild hilly areas where nothing was available.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, speaking in the city, condemned the act of the police. "There are still someone who do not want Jammu and Kashmir be integral part of the country. I condemn the police high handedness in forcibly sending back the train," he said. |
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