No End To Dispute Over Running Agra-Udaipur Vande Bharat Train

The dispute came to light on the inagugural day of the Agra-Udaipur Vande Bharat train between Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan when the employees of the Agra and Kota Railway Divisions engaged in a squabble over running the train. The matter again escalated on Thursday after the loco pilot and his assistant were beaten up and their clothes were torn.

Kota (Rajasthan): There seems to be no end to the dispute over running the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat train between Agra and Udaipur as the employees of Kota and Agra Railway Division again engaged in a fight on Thursday.

The dispute came to light on the inaugural of the semi-high speed train on Monday when the employees of the Agra and Kota Railway Divisions squabbled over running the train.

On Thursday, the dispute further escalated as the loco pilot and his assistant were beaten up and their clothes were torn as per officials. Even the lock of the guard room door of the Vande Bharat train and the glass windowpane were also broken.

On the other hand, the matter has also reached the Railway Board, but it has not been resolved yet with the dispute leading to delays in arrival and departure.

GRP Gangapur City SHO Dalbir Singh said that a case has been registered against unknown railway personnel on the complaint of Agra guard Raghavendra Saraswat adding further investigation is being underway.

It is alleged that the fight on Thursday took place in front of Railway Protection Force personnel at Gangapur City Junction, but instead of mediating, they were seen making videos instead of stopping the fight.

Eyewitnesses said that an attempt was made to forcibly remove the guards and drivers of Agra Railway Division from the train by the rival side. But the Agra staff locked the cabin from inside and remained inside. The Gangapur staff asked the Agra loco pilot to disembark to run the train themselves. However, when the lock did not open, an employee hit the door hard, due to which the glass broke, eyewitnesses said.

In the process, guard Raghavendra Saraswat of Vande Bharat was beaten up in Gangapur City. In protest against this, guard Ramkesh Meena who was operating the Yamuna Bridge-Kota passenger train was beaten up at Agra's Idgah station and his clothes were torn.