Passengers lock station master in toilet

BAREILLY: Angered with the stench of dirty toilets, passengers of Delhi-bound Sharsa-Anand Vihar special passenger train caused ruckus on Bareilly railway station on Wednesday night and locked the station master inside one of the toilets when the latter went inside to inspect it.

The railway authorities had to call Railway Protection Force to free the station master. Subsequently, cleaning of the toilets was ordered.

The train reached Bareilly junction at 7:45 pm, three hours after it’s scheduled time.

“Moments after the train stopped, some passengers of a general and two sleeper coaches raised slogans against railways on the platform. They complained about dirty toilets and lack of water in their coaches,” said Md Akeel Alam, a food vendor on platform number one who was present at the station on Wednesday.

The railway staff at the station initially overlooked their complaint and the train was signalled to leave the station at 7: 50. But angry passengers pulled emergency chains, making it impossible for the train to move. This went on for over an hour, forcing the station master to leave his office to inspect the situation. Reportedly, the passengers asked the station master to inspect the toilet and closed the door from outside when he ventured inside.

“The passengers prevented me from leaving the coach and I had to call the RPF officials for help,” said station master Rajendra Kumar.

Once released, the station master ordered the sanitation staff to clean the toilets and refill the water tanks of the coach. The train finally left Bareill at 9:50 pm with clean toilets and running water.

RPF officials have not registered any suo motu complaint regarding the incident.