TIA NEWS /
Agitators from Kapu community of Andhra Pradesh, demanding reservation for them in job and eduction today set on fire four bogies of the Ratnachal express train near Tuni Railway station in East Godavari district.
Hundreds of agitators took to tracks and set on fire the train going from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam,after stopping it.Panic-stricken passengers ran helter-skelter as the fire extended from coach to coach. However, the Railway authorities said there were no causalities.
Meanwhile the South central railway has cancelled and rescheduled dozens of passenger trains and goods trains.Chief Public Relation Officer M Umashankar Kumar said that steps are being taken to provide food and water to the stranded passengers. Steps were also taken to transport the stranded passengers to the nearby railway stations by buses.
The agitators also set on fire a local police station . A few police vehicles were burnt and public property was damaged on large scale in the incident.They are demanding inclusion of Kapu Community in Backward Classes.
The violence broke out around 3 p.m. during a massive public meeting organized by Kapu State Committee at Tuni to demand the government to include Kapus in the backward classes list and provide them reservation. Kapu leaders declared that they will not leave tracks and highways till the government issues an order to meet their demand.
Soon the protestors marched towards the track and stopped Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada Ratnachal Express near Tuni railway station. They attacked the engine and set afire eight bogies after ordering passengers to get down.
A railway official said no one was injured in the incident but the passengers including women and children ran in panic.
The protestors later attacked Tuni railway station and ransacked the furniture. Four railway employees were injured.
The agitators also set afire Tuni rural police station. Five policemen were injured in the stone pelting.
Chief Minister Chandarababu Naidu has convened an emergency meeting with senior officials in Vijayawada.