Title - ‘Rail roko’ call effects rush

Heavy police forces were positioned at all the entry points to prevent the agitators from entering railway stations.

The ‘rail roko’ call given by the integrationists to bring pressure on the UPA Government hit the passenger turnout at the railway stations on Sunday. However, no major incidents were reported in view of the agitation.Police made elaborate security arrangements in and around the railway stations to avoid any inconvenience to the passengers.Heavy police forces were positioned at all the entry points to prevent the agitators from entering railway stations.Many passengers cancelled journey, and the platforms wore a desert look. There was no passenger rush in the trains and the South Central Railway provided escort with two parties for all the running trains. Police parties were attached to all the Station Masters. In Guntur, the protestors raised slogans in front of Simhadri Express, while the agitators entered Tenali station and shouted slogans in front of Janmabhoomi Express. The protestors criticised the Congress party for bifurcating the State. Police thwarted the efforts of the agitators to enter the railway stations in Anakapalle, Narsaraopet and Visakhapatnam, said Superintendent of Railway Police Ch. Syam Prasad Rao.“Train services were not affected in Guntur and Tenali stations as some protestors raised slogans in front of the halted trains.

There were no reports of arson and the police have not registered any cases in Vijayawada division”, said Mr. Syam Prasad.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police and the central forces would continue in the stations as a precautionary measure, said the police.