Delayed trains, long-pending demand led to crowd fury: GRP

Delayed trains coupled with the long pending demand for Diva-CST local service provoked the passengers who resorted to a violent rail-roko agitation at Diva railway station near Thane this morning, Government Railway Police said.
Those injured in the resultant violence included 15 policemen.
"Passengers were agitated this morning as the trains were running late. As crowds swelled on the platforms, a group of irate commuters started pelting stones. Some held rail roko agitation. This brought the services to a standstill and only after the police removed the protesters from the tracks, the trains could ply," said GRP Commissioner Ravinder Singal.

Angry crowd outside the Diva railway station torched five vehicles and the police had to lathi-charge, the IPS officer said.
"Two four-wheelers -- one belonging to railway police and other to Thane city police -- and a two-wheeler of railway police were among the five vehicles that were set on fire," Singal said.
There were agitations at Thane, Dombivali and Kalyan stations too.
Miscreants damaged railway property including seven ATVM (ticket vending) machines and three booking counters at Diva railway station and level crossing gate boom at Diva level crossing. They also damaged two booking counters and six ATVMs at Dombivali railway station, police said.

"People were also angry because their demand for Diva-CST trains has not been addressed yet," Singal said.