Kolkata, Oct 30 (IANS) People travelling from West Bengal to Vadodara in Gujarat to participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations were brutally assaulted by hawkers at the Bhusaval station in Maharashtra on Friday.
The railway police at Bhusaval confirmed that a complaint has been lodged and several people have been detained for questioning. Further investigation is underway, an official said.
"We were in a group of 99 people from the Jhargram district in West Bengal, selected by the district administration to travel by a special train to Vadodara for the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations on October 31. When the train stopped at the Bhusaval station, some of us decided to get out and stretch our legs as it had been a long journey," said Nirmalendu Mahato.
He, along with his daughter, purchased some bananas from the platform. While Mahato remained outside, the girl went inside the compartment to keep the bananas near their luggage.
Trouble started after she rejoined her father on the platform and Mahato started videographing the surroundings.
"We had heard a lot about Bhusaval and its bananas, so it was only natural for me to make a video. There were some hawkers around, but it was not my idea to focus on them. Suddenly, an elderly man approached me from behind and asked me harshly to stop making the video. I asked him the reason, when four others approached. Realising that they were out there to create trouble, I turned to send my daughter back into the compartment. This was when they pushed me from behind," Mahato said.
His co-passengers noticed the incident and accosted the hawkers, resulting in a minor scuffle. The team from Jhargram, which comprises police and administrative officers from the district, then approached the elderly man who had started the whole thing.
“When he was asked why he started the whole ruckus, the man left. We believed that was the end of the matter. However, he returned in a few minutes with over 20 men and started assaulting us. At least a dozen members of our group received injuries to their faces, shoulders, backs, and other parts of the body. We somehow managed to get into the train and get in touch with the Railway Protection Force (RPF)," Mahato said.
The injured, including Mahato, received treatment at the next station, where a complaint was also registered by the railway police. After reaching Vadodara, they were taken to a hospital for medical examination.
"On the evening of October 30, senior police officers from Bhusaval reached Vadodara and spoke to us in detail. A DSP of West Bengal Police, who was part of our group, also provided details. We were told that seven of the miscreants have been identified and detained. More people will be booked as the investigation progresses, we were told," Mahato said.
According to a senior police official, it was the handiwork of illegal hawkers against whom Central Railway has been taking steps for the last few months.
"Several hundred illegal hawkers have been identified and removed from stations in that area. However, they keep on returning to the stations on the sly. It seems that they were scared that their activities would get recorded when the video was being made and attacked the passengers," the official said.
Whatever the reason, the incident has left a bad taste in the mouth for Mahato and the others, who had left home so happily, proud to be part of the national event, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
--IANS
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