NEW DELHI: Indian Railways has reportedly suffered initial damages to its property worth crores in Bihar during the last three days of violent agitations carried out by unruly mobs of students alleging irregularities in the results for the first stage of the examination conducted for various posts under the Non -Technical Popular Categories (NTPC).
Railway sources here on Thursday, January 27, 2022, added that the violent protest that started first at Patna’s Rajendranagar railway terminal last Monday and escalated in other parts of Bihar and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, has caused conservative losses to Railways property worth Rs 18 crores. “The losses may go up from Rs 18 crores and exact losses can be ascertained only after the completion of final assessment on damages”, a railway source said.
“Bihar’s Patna, Nawada, Gaya and Sitamarhi reported more damages to the railway property compared to other districts like Ara and Buxar. As many as 7 cops of both Railway Protection Forces (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) were among others injured by the unruly mobs of candidates”, a senior railway official added.
According to railway sources, four coaches of a passenger local train, six locos (engines of trains) and other Railways property were damaged during the last three days of violent protests. As per an initial estimate, the unruly mobs of students damaged four coaches of a passenger train in Bihar causing a huge loss of Rs 4 crore. The mobs also damaged the power cars of DEMU trains, worth Rs 10 crore.
The protesters also damaged the 6 locos of trains worth Rs 3-4 crores during violent agitation. Apart from all this, the railway is estimated to have suffered a revenue loss from the cancellation of trains and tickets due to agitations worth Rs 40-50 lakhs.
After the first day of violent protest, the East Central Railway (ECR) in Bihar had cancelled five trains including the Rajendranagar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express on Monday. On being contacted, chief spokesperson of East Central Railway Rajesh Kumar said, “Losses incurred in railways due to agitation are being assessed to final counts”.