TIRUCHI
Bowing to public outcry and protest, the railway administration opened the manned level crossing gate near Pullambadi along the Tiruchi - Villupuram chord line section on Friday three days after it shut the gate as a sequel to an alleged attack on a duty woman gatekeeper. The Kallakudi Police had registered a case on a complaint from the woman gatekeeper.
The railway administration's decision to close the manned gate all of sudden without any prior announcement enraged the residents of several villagers as it served as a public passage prompting them to stage a rail roko in the morning at Pullambadi demanding its reopening.
Residents and farmers of various villages, including Pullambadi, Anandhapuram, Mullal, Sembarai, Thinniyam and Alangudi sat on the track near Pullambadi condemning the railway administration for having closed the manned level crossing gate 217 which serves as a public passage to various villages.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Lalgudi Assembly constituency MLA Soundarapandian and Desiya Thennindhiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam leader P. Ayyakannu were among those who took part in the rail roko, leading to the detention of two trains on the chord line section.
A group of farmers drove some tractors and stopped them on the railway track near another level crossing gate 216 at Pullambadi to vent their ire against the railway administration's decision. Villagers who assembled at the spot sat on the railway track demanding the immediate reopening of the closed manned gate 217 necessitating intervention of the Tiruchi rural police personnel.
The stir led to the detention of the Cuddalore - Tiruchi Junction passenger at Pullambadi for over 40 minutes and the Chennai-bound Vaigai Express from Madurai at Lalgudi for about 30 minutes, said the railway sources. The protest lasted over 40 minutes following which the police arrested around 100 of them.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Central Zone V. Varadaraju, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tiruchi Range, Lalitha Lakshmi, and Superintendent of Police, Tiruchi, Ziaul Haque, came to the spot in the wake of the protest which led to tense moments. One of the protesters reportedly doused himself with kerosene. But the police secured him immediately, said the sources.
An hour after the protest, the railway administration bowed to public demand and reopened the closed manned gate 217 in the noon and posted a gatekeeper at that location, said railway sources.
A group of residents of Pullambadi had met the Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Tiruchi, on Wednesday and made a representation to reopen the gate as it affected their livelihood.
Mr. Ziaul Haque met the Divisional Railway Manager P. Uday Kumar Reddy a couple of days ago seeking to reopen the gate. However, absence of a positive action on the part of the railway administration prompted the villagers to stage a rail roko stir on Friday following which the gate was reopened.
