Thaindian News

Kolkata, June 1 (IANS) Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday ordered a departmental inquiry into the disturbances at Khusrupur railway station in Bihar’s Patna district and promised to punish officials, if they are found guilty.
Addressing media persons at her Kalighat residence here, Banerjee said she or her ministry had been kept in the dark about any decision to not halt express trains at the station under the East Central Railway.

“If this was done, it was done without knowledge of the ministry. If there is something illegal we will see,” Banerjee said, adding she did not know the details yet and would find them out.

“If it was done to malign somebody, then that’s not fair,” she added.

Banerjee said the departmental inquiry would find out if any official has taken the decision without the knowledge of the ministry.

“We don’t believe in dividing Bengal and Bihar,” she said.

Coaches of two trains were set ablaze and the Khusrupur station ransacked by a mob Monday to protest the East Central Railway’s decision to not halt any express train at the station.

Police said hundreds of people set fire to three coaches of the Danapur-Jainagar Intercity Express and one bogie of Rajgir Danapur Express in Khusrupur, about 35 km from here. However, no casualty was reported.

The protesters also uprooted rail tracks, disrupting traffic on the Patna-Mokama route.

A East Central Railway spokesperson said a decision to resume train services to Khusrupur has been taken in view of the violent protest.