A flash strike by South Western Railway employees at the Bengaluru Central Railway Station against the arrest of a senior officer disrupted train services for more than an hour on Tuesday evening. Hundreds of passengers were inconvenienced as at least six trains were delayed and movement of several others were affected.
Services from Platform Number 8 were affected from 6.30 p.m., as hundreds of employees from signalling and controls sat on a dharna. With no train departing, the platform started getting crowded with the arrival of more passengers.
No staff was ready to address the concerns and queries of passengers. Staff also abandoned ticket counters.
The employees were protesting the arrest of Chief Commercial Supervisor (Parcel) A B Panduranga by the State police on Sunday while he was on duty. The official was arrested on charges of alleged irregularities in the auction of two-wheelers, which lay unclaimed in the Railways’ parking area and from the parcel section.
Normalcy in train services was restored around 8 p.m. after a section of protesting employees went back to work.
Inspector General of Police (Railways) R.P. Sharma defended the arrest of Mr. Panduranga, saying that he was among 14 persons suspected to be involved in the alleged irregularities.
