Mumbai: Four ticket checkers of Central Railways (CR), Mumbai division are working in fear. The quartet MK Poddar, Nikhil Rathore , Amrit Singh and Saroj Pandey have been booked by the Uttar Pradesh Government Railway Police (GRP) for allegedly assaulting Satyawan Yadav, a head constable of Jhansi GRP, who was caught by MK Poddar on April 16 traveling without proper ticket in LTT - Lucknow AC express.
Assault and fake case
According to YP Sharma, Secretary (HeadQuarter) of Central Railway Railway Mazdoor Sangh, the Uttar Pradesh GRP not only assaulted the four ticket checkers but also registered a fake case against them.
“When Yadav was caught travelling without a proper ticket he threatened our staff. When the video of the incident went viral, he lodged a complaint against the TCs for snatching ₹3,000 from him and assaulting him. It is a false case. In the video, it is clearly visible that a group of Uttar Pradesh GRP personnel including sub-inspector dragging Poddar,” said Sharma.
“After the incident, our checking staff on the trains running on Jhansi-Lucknow route are under tremendous pressure,” added Sharma.
Passengers came in support
Narrating the incident, another senior official of railway said, “On April 16 the passengers came in Poddar's support and started capturing the incident on camera, which deterred the GRP personnel and they stopped the assault.”
When contacted, one of the ticket checkers, who has been booked by the Uttar Pradesh GRP said, “ After the incident he is worried about his safety.”
However, in the FIR registered at Jhansi GRP by Satyawan Yadav, it has been stated he was traveling on duty and also had a pass. Still Poddar charged him of travelling without a ticket. When Satyawan objected to it Poddar called his other colleagues and snatcched ₹3000 from Yadav's pocket and assaulted him.
After the incident, the local railway authorities have written a letter to Uttar Pradesh GRP stating it was not the first case of travelling without a proper ticket by the UP GRP police. Similar cases have been reported in the recent past. The letter has also requested appropriate action against offenders.
