72 trains cancelled following violence at Secunderabad station

Railway authorities have cancelled as many as 72 trains following large-scale violence that rocked Secunderabad railway station on Friday.

The South Central Railway (SCR) also partially cancelled 12 trains and diverted three others.

All trains originating from Secunderabad or passing through the station were cancelled following violent protest by hundreds of youth against the Central government’s new army recruitment policy “Agnipath”.

A SCR official said train services were suspended to ensure safety of the travelling public.

The cancellation of trains and the confusion that prevailed about operation of some trains caused severe inconvenience to passengers.

The cancelled trains include Hyderabad-Shalimar, Umdanagar-Secunderabad, Secunderabad-Umdanagar, and Secunderabad-Sainagar Shirdi.

Secunderabad-Repalle, which was to originate at Secunderabad, originated at Cherlapalli station.

Howrah-Secunderabad, Sirpur Kaghaznagar-Secunderabad, Hyderabad-Kurnool City and Guntur-Vikarabad were partially cancelled.

East Coast Railway announced cancellation of Danapur-Secunderabad and Patna-Ernakulam trains.

The SCR has set up a special help desk. Passengers can reach out to Help Desk No 040-27786666 for updates on train cancellations/ diversions and partial cancellations of trains.

The SCR also cancelled 66 MMTS trains or suburban local trains following the violence.

The protestors set afire bogies of at least four trains, vandalised the station and also torched goods being transported in trains.

One person was killed and four others injured when police opened fire to control the situation.

The protestors continued their sit-in on the tracks at the station for more than six hours.