Woman alleges abuse by railway staff

MUMBAI: A woman lodged a police complaint against some railway employees on Monday for allegedly manhandling and abusing her at Malad station. Nikita Mehta, a housewife, resides at Vile Parle and was carrying her two kids with her.
Mehta told the Government Railway Police (GRP) that she had gone to the ticket booking office at Malad (W), when a clerk there verbally abused her."The kids were running all over the place. The other passengers suggested that Nikita jump the queue and book her ticket. But the clerk took objection," Mehta's husband told TOI.
The clerk allegedly refused to issue a ticket unless she stood in queue. "Nikita got upset and raised her voice. The other passengers supported her," Mehta's husband said. "A couple of cops directed Nikita to the station manager's office. But nobody heard her out there either. She was manhandled by a female railway employee and verbally abused."
Mohammad Hussain, a Jogeshwari resident, said commuters gathered outside the station manager's office and "the cops hit some of us".
Borivali GRP officials said a case of assault had been registered against unidentified railway employees and a probe was on. A Western Railway spokesperson, however, said that the clash was between Mehta and other commuters. "Railway employees, in fact, tried to pacify Mehta and they eventually summoned the police," the spokesperson said.