RJD vents ire on Railways

KHAGARIA (Bihar), Aug 24 (UNI) — A group of bandh supporters today opened fire at Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel of Khagaria station when the jawans prevented them from obstructing the movement of trains.

None was, however, injured in the shooting, according to official sources.

The 12-hour bandh was called by the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to protest against the recent CBI raids on the official residence of Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

The goods clerk of Khagaria railway station was mercilessly beaten allegedly by RJD activists for preventing them from entering the godown premises.

In another incident, RJD leader Gajendra Yadav was seriously injured during brickbatting between the supporters and opponents of the bandh.

Telephone exchanges, post offices and district collectorate were locked by the bandh supporters, according to official sources.

Reports reaching state headquarters said all long distance buses kept off the roads and train services were badly hit.

The bandh was reported to be "total" even in South Bihar districts of Dumka, Ranchi, Giridih and Hazaribagh, where the RJD does not have a significant presence.

RJD supporters set on fire two bogies of a train between Munger and Jamalpur stations in the morning, Munger SP Raghuvansh Prasad Yadav said, adding that the fire was extinguished soon by the police and none was reported injured.

Danapur Divisional Railway Manager S.P. Vasta said bandh supporters uprooted a signal pillar near Nandaul station which fell on the tracks disrupting traffic on the Patna-Gaya section.

The sources said RJD activists led by Jehanabad MP Surendra Prasad Yadav squatted on tracks at Jehanabad railway station, while engines of the Ganga-Damodar Express and the Palamu Express were "partially damaged" by stone-pelting bandh supporters.

A stampede-like situation prevailed at Begusarai station where passengers, including Army jawans, travelling in the 5621 up North-East Express clashed with bandh enforcers, the sources said, adding that five persons, including state RJD secretary Vijay Kumar Paswan and a public prosecutor Sukhdeo Yadav were injured.

Vasta said bandh supporters obstructed movement of trains at Bihia, Patna Sahib, Fatuha, Lakhisarai, Dumraon, Buxar and Ara stations.

The sources said over 2000 bandh supporters, including party MLAs Ashok Kumar, Ali Abdul Ghafoor, former MP Girija Devi, besides a host of party office-bearers were arrested during the bandh.

A Samastipur report quoting official sources said police had to lob teargas shells to disperse a mob of RJD supporters who clashed with advocates at a local court.

Senior advocate R.K. Prasad and Sub-Divisional Officer B.P. Verma were injured, the reports said, adding the former was rushed to the Sadar hospital in a serious condition.

Reports of disruption of rail traffic were also received from Barauni, Samastipur and Saharsa.

The driver of 324 Dn passenger train was beaten up by RJD activists at Saharsa station, the reports said, adding that the station master of Teghra Railway Station in Begusarai district was injured in brickbatting.

In the state capital, the streets wore a deserted look with private and public vehicles off the road and shops and business establishments, even those in residential localities, downing shutters.

Those who ventured out in cars had their windscreens smashed by stick-wielding RJD activists.

The bandh supporters damaged the ticket reservation counters at Patna Railway Station and stormed the Central Telegraph Office smashing light posts, counters and the press room, official sources said.

Reports from Ranchi said inter-state movement of coal from different South Bihar mines of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and work at the CCL headquarters here were badly affected by the bandh, CCL sources said.

The sources said bandh supporters disrupted movement of coal from CCL’s Kujju and Kargalli mines in Hazaribagh forcing the truckers to take their vehicles off the road.

RJD workers sat on a dharna outside the main gate of CCL headquarters here to prevent entry of the company’s officials, only very few of whom could attend office, official sources said.

A company official requesting anonymity said the police force deployed around the CCL office remained passive and did not try to stop the RJD supporters.

However, 82 supporters, including senior RJD local leaders were rounded up from different parts of the town while trying to enforce the bandh, the sources said.

State transport buses were suspended and autorickshaws kept off the road, while educational institutions remained closed and work in banks, post offices and public sector undertakings were affected due to thin attendance of employees, the sources said.

Railway authorities said some trains were delayed by about three hours on Ranchi-Moori section of South Eastern Railway as bandh supporters sat on a dharna on the tracks near Tatisilwai.