Question : PASSENGER FORCE TRAIN TO REVERSE AFTER MAN FALLS OFF

(a) whether attention of the Government has been drawn to the news item captioned ‘Passengers force train to reverse after man falls off’ appearing in the Hindustan Times dated July 10, 2002;

(b) if so, whether Mussoorie Express was hijacked and passengers force the driver to move the train back to pick up one of their fellow;

(c) if so, whether the Chain pulling system in the train was not working at that time;

(d) if so, the facts thereof; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to check such incidents in future?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( SHRI BANDARU DATTATRAYA )

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) to (e): The train was hijacked in the technical sense. On 9.7.2002, at about 0345 hours, about 100 passengers of 4042 Dn Mussoorie Express entered the office of the ASM, Mandi Dhanaura and asked him to back the train to Bagarpur to pick up one of their co-passengers who had fallen down from the train. As the train crew resisted their demand, they manhandled and forced them to take the train back. The route was set and the train was taken back at a slow speed. The passenger in question was picked up from Chandpursiau. In this connection, 17 persons were arrested and a case vide Crime No.NIL/2002 u/s 145, 146, 153, 174 Railways Act, 147, 332, 504, 506, 427 IPC and 7 Criminal Law Amendment Act was registered against them by GRP/Gajraula. As regards the Alarm Chain system, it is informed that it was checked at Hapur and found in working condition. Railway employees in-charge of the Stations already have instructions to inform the Police authorities about such incidents.