Residents squat on tracks, fight pitched battle with cops

Gorakhpur: Residents of Tarang Crossing locality on Friday staged a protest and squatted on tracks demanding opening of the railway crossing gate. The protest stalled train movement on the route bringing Vaishali Express and a goods train to a halt for more than two hours. Police had to use force to disperse the protesters who fought a pitched battle and indulged in brick-batting.Seven protesters were later arrested.
The protesters comprised mainly of residents from Humayunpur and Subhash Nagar area. They were demanding that the gate at the crossing be opened as they had to cover a long distance to reach other places.
According to the reports, demonstrators stopped Vaishali Express from Delhi and a goods train. On being informed, RPF personnel were rushed to the site to disburse the mob. As the crowd swelled, RPF officials informed the civil police about the situation. ADM, city and SP, city, rushed to the site along with heavy police force.
The officials tried to talk the demonstrators into allowing the train movement. As the latter refused to budge, the police resorted to lathi-charge. Infuriated mob resorted to pelting stone and fought a pitched battle with the police force for more than two hours.
Seven protesters were arrested by the police for disturbing law and order situation.
ADM, city, Badri Nath Singh said "people were agitated as they had to cover a long distance to reach places as railway overbridge (RoB) has been constructed. As per rule, crossing gates are closed after RoB is constructed over a crossing. However, closure of gates is causing problem for the residents of the area."
The ADM further said "we requested the railway officials to find a way out but they refused to flout the rule. Now, railway has to take a decision over it as we have asked them to open the gate for a certain period in view of the heavy traffic load."
Chief PRO of NER, Alok Kumar Singh said "it is not possible for us to open the gate as RoB has been constructed. Opening the gate will cost railways around Rs 10 lakh per year as three gatemen will have to be deployed. We have also closed the gate at Charphatak for the same reason. There are examples where state government has borne the cost of opening the gate. We have made stairs for pedestrians and closed the gate."
Sanjay Yadav, a resident of Humayunpur, lamented, " we don't know about the rules of railways and administration. We only know that we are facing a difficult situation. The gate is a link between the area and other parts of the city and people of Humayun pur area and Subhash Nagar area will be affected by the closed gate. We request Government and railways to think about the problems faced by the public."