Cops ask dalits to call off 'rail roko'

AHMEDABAD: As dalits gear up for their 'rail roko' agitation at Maninagar railway crossing in the city on Saturday, the police on Friday made an appeal to the community members to call off the protest citing the tension at international borders and high alert in the border states, including Gujarat.
A press statement issued by the city police on Friday said that the agitation led by Jignesh Mevani, convener of Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti (UDALS) and Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM) is illegal and unconstitutional as the permission to hold 'rail roko' agitation has not been granted by the Ahmedabad City Police or the Railway Police.
According to sources, the group will start protesting at Maninagar railway crossing at 12 noon on Saturday. The dalit group claimed that thousands of people, including some Magsaysay award winners, will gather to express their anger.
The protest will be led by the aged women of the community who are landless despite allocated land 'on paper'.
"There is a tensed situation on the international border after the Indian Army gunned down terrorists in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) recently. Due to this, a high alert is sounded in regions along the border. In such situation, preventing movement of trains is a serious and non-bailable offence and the police are bound to take legal actions," said a statement of the city police.
A senior railway official said that three-layered security will be maintained at Maninagar railway crossing and Maninagar railway station considering the fact that two long route trains, Shatabdi Express and Howrah-Ahmedabad Express, will pass at 12.38 pm and 1.05 pm respectively.
"If the agitators come on the tracks or enter the station, legal actions will be initiated against them by both the railway and the city police," said an official.
To avoid any law and order situation, joint commissioner of police, sector-2, D B Waghela along with two deputy commissioner of police (DCPs), three assistant commissioner of police (ACPs), one company of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) along with local cops will be deployed at the venue.
Besides, 87 GRP jawans will be guarding Maninagar station and 125 RPF jawans will be deployed outside.