Pulwama attack aftermath: Protesters block railway tracks at Nallasopara in Maharashtra, raise anti-Pakistan slogans

Mumbai: A group of protesters on Saturday blocked the railway tracks at Nalasopara station in Palghar district of Maharashtra to protest against the terror attack in Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF personnel, officials said.

The protesters got onto the tracks around 8.20 am and started raising slogans against Pakistan, the officials said, adding that train services on the route were affected due to the protest.

In a tweet, the Western Railway (WR) said, “Several protesters have blocked the tracks at Nallasopara due to which train movement has been affected at Nallasopara and beyond. GRP, RPF are making efforts to convince the people and evacuate the tracks and normalise the train movement.”

#WATCH Mumbai: Police baton charge to disperse protesters at Nallasopara railway station, protesting against #PulwamaAttack. Some protesters were demonstrating at railway tracks of the station earlier today affecting services. Services now resumed at Virar, Nallasopara&Bhayandar pic.twitter.com/lKJ4kuKoX7

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2019

Chief spokesperson of the Western Railway, Ravinder Bhakar, said the protest started at 8.20 am when people came on the railway tracks and stopped the movement of trains. “Trains are not operating between Nallasopara and Virar stations, while services between Vasai to Churchgate are normal. Forces have been called in to disperse the agitating crowd,” he said.

Maharashtra: Protesters stage demonstration on the railway tracks at Nallasopara railway station in protest against #PulwamaAttack. Train movement affected at Nallasopara and beyond. pic.twitter.com/BzFLDzyi6z

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2019

The protesters shouted slogans of ‘Bharat mata ki jai’. They also raised slogans against Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attack and demanded action against the neighbouring country for sponsoring and sheltering terrorists and terror groups, another official said. “The agitation is likely to affect the schedule of the long-distance trains as well,” he added.

Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kilograms of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.