Kept out of Rly test in Assam, Bihar youths attack trains to Guwahati

Nearly 20,000 aspirants from Bihar, mostly from the above districts, were apparently prevented by locals in Guwahati from appearing in the test to select khalasis and gangmen. As students returned by Monday evening to villages in Bihar with stories of these attacks, tension rose.

Villagers and students stopped the 4055 Brahmaputra Mail between Ratanpur and Jamalpur in Munger around 11.30 am on Tuesday and attacked passengers. The train could re-start only by 5 pm, said Shameer Goswami, PRO, Eastern Railways, from Kolkata. Several armymen and policemen were injured in the attack.

At Katihar station, rail property was damaged and a warehouse was set on fire. Police resorted to a lathicharge, used tear gas and fired several rounds into the air before the crowd dispersed.

According to Munger DM Gautam Goswami, a crowd of at least 300 people were waiting since early morning on Wednesday at Islampur for the arrival of the Delhi-Guwahati Tinsukia Mail. Sensing trouble, railway authorities stopped the train at the previous halt, Ratanpur. But the mob walked over and select passengers were beaten up. Goswami said Railway Police then escorted the train out of the trouble zone.

At least six people have been arrested and two FIRs filed in connection with the two incidents. G.S. Varshney, General Manager, Eastern Railways, said: ‘‘Two companies of Railway Police Force have been dispatched for Katihar.’’

Inspector General, Headquarters, Neelmani has promised police escort for all trains passing through the

areas.

Meanwhile, Railways Minister Nitish Kumar—who belongs to Bihar—has announced that a fresh exam would be conducted for aspirants who could not take it on Sunday.

He also said that beginning with the Guwahati exams, the Railways would now facilitate writing of lower-grade exams in any of the Eighth Schedule languages so that the locals in different regions get a level playing field.

A few months ago,

students from Bihar

had faced a similar situation in Mumbai when alleged

Shiv Sainiks had prevented them from taking the test.

State minister and RJD spokesperson Shiwanand Tiwari fears ‘‘repeated attacks on students from the state is creating a sense of psychological alienation for Biharis’’.

According to him, ‘‘This is a direct result of unemployment both within Bihar and the states where they

go. This is a very serious issue.’’

Among the biggest employers in the country with 40,000 vacancies to fill, the Railways is among the favourite destinatations of educated youth in Bihar. Some go as far south as Tirupati to compete for a gangman’s post.

Every weekend—

most competitive exams

are on Sunday—trains

passing through and originating from the state

carry several times their

capacity.

Given the large number of Bihari migrants—in

Assam tea gardens, in the un-organised sectors of Mumbai and Kolkota and as agricultural labour in Punjab and Haryana—the

repercussions of the present strife can’t be underestimated.

An informal survey conducted by some railway

officials estimates that

each day at least 600 new migrants arrive at the New Delhi station en route to Punjab and Haryana as labourers.