Incident Sparks Outrage Among Devotees; Police Launch Manhunt for Accomplices
Vijayanagara: A youth was arrested after he threatened to burn the train returning from Ayodhya to Hospet Railway station in Karnataka on Friday.
This incident occurred on Thursday while devotees were aboard the train, visiting the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The altercation took place in Reserved Bogey number 2 of the train when it halted at Hospet. Four youths boarded the train without reserved tickets, sparking a dispute with passengers who insisted they should have proper reservations. Amid the argument, one of the youths issued a threat, stating, "The train belongs to the government, not your father's property. If you push us too far, we will burn the train."
Passengers reacted strongly to the threat and staged a protest, demanding the immediate arrest of the perpetrators. Police officers present at the scene intervened and directed the youths to move to another coach. Subsequently, passengers disembarked from the train and staged a protest for over an hour.
The situation escalated as Hindu activists and members of the Bajrang Dal rushed to the railway station to join the protest. Vijayanagara SP Srihari Babu B.L. arrived and assured the passengers and activists that the culprits would be arrested and appropriate action taken. Eventually, the passengers agreed to re-board the train and continue their journey.
Despite efforts to arrest them, the accused youths managed to flee the scene. However, a search operation has been initiated, leading to the arrest of one individual. Police continue their efforts to locate and arrest the remaining suspects.