TUNI: A day after large scale violence in the wake of Kapu Ikya Garjana, police have begun identifying the arsonists who set fire to Ratnachal Express and later torched rural police station in the town even as the normal life limped back with Kapu activists having left the town as if they were never there and the traffic on national highway No: 16 became as normal as ever. From early hours of Monday, train services resumed albeit slowly, much to the relief of the passengers.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) R O Thakur said they would not leave anyone who had resorted to violence. "We are identifying them with the help of video grabs. We will take appropriate action against them once the identification process is over. We have already registered 30 cases under various sections," Thakur said.
The police have imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the IPC in Tuni and section 30 of the police act requiring people to take permission from the police for any demonstrations was in res of the entire East Godavari district.
The police officer after a review of law and order situation at Tuni, told media persons that it was very clear that the violence was not spontaneous but was done in accordance with a plan. "We have enough inputs on this but I cannot say now who the culprits were and how they set in motion their plan," he said.
That the violence the result of a pre-meditated plan was evident with fresh evidence that some persons, who broke away from teh agitating group on railway tracks, wearing masks, entered the cabin of the engine of the Ratnachal Express and beat up the drivers.
Later they began raining stones on the train to trigger a scare. Immediately the passengers who did not know what was happening got down from the train and the arsonists then set fire to the seats inside the bogies which are made with highly inflammable material. Very soon, tongues of flames rose engulfing the entire train, some eye witnesses said, though police did not confirm the reports.
Thakur said the police were taken by surprise by the sudden violent turn the agitation had taken place. "We did not anticipate violence," he said and felt sorry that violence and arson took place despite the fact the police acted with a very high degree of restraint. "We did not beat up any one and did not use force and yet the incidents took place, Thankur said.
More than the torching of the train, the police are taking the attack on the rural and urban police stations by mobs very seriously. The anti social elements who were bent on creating trouble, set fire to 20 vehicles on the premises of the police stations including five police vehicles. The police requested the persons who were creating trouble to go away and yet they did what they wanted to, he said.