On mistreating women's hockey players: Indian Railways slams report, says players were not made to sit on floor

New Delhi: The Indian Railways on Monday slammed reports which said it mistreated players of Indian women's hockey team while they were returning from Rio Olympics.

Earlier, CNN-News 18 reported that the tickets of players were unconfirmed and hence the TT asked them to sit on the floor of the bogey of Bokaro-Alleppey Express Train, going from Ranchi to Rourkela.

However, in a statment, slamming all such reports, Indian Railways said, "The news reports about Women's hockey team, after their return from Rio Olympics being forced to sit on the floor while they were travelling from Ranchi to Rourkela via Bokaro-Allepey Express train is completely false. Also the information that of the TTE asked them to sit on the floor of the bogey of the train is untrue."

The Railway Ministry further added that the Hockey players, on reaching the Ranchi airport went to the station and took the train without any information to the Indian Railways, who would be in a better position to make appropriate arrangements for the players.

"However, when the players boarded the train with unconfirmed tickets, the TTE took only 20 minutes to make seats available to them," the statement added.

The statement further added that the Hockey players hold no grudge against the Indian Railways and the same was communicated by them to the Indian Railways authorities.

"They also said that the players were in a hurry to meet their family members and hence preponed the plan which led to the confusion," said the statement.

(With ANI inputs)