Hawkers assault railway officials evicting them from Mumbai stations

In three separate incidents on the central line, hawkers assaulted Railway Protection Force personnel who were evicting them

With the authorities continuing with their stringent action against hawkers, the latter are now hitting back, literally.

No hawkers outside Dadar station since they have been cleared. (Kunal Patil/HT)

In three separate incidents at Ghatkopar, Kasara and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) on the central railway (CR), hawkers assaulted the railway protection force (RPF) for evicting them from railway premises.

The hawkers have been arrested and booked under section 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (using assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

The incident in Ghatkopar took place on November 15, when railway police official Amarnath Ramkaran was trying to evict a hawker near the railway canteen. The hawker assaulted Ramkaran.

On October 27, railway police official Nilesh Dangar was assaulted by an illegal hawker while he was trying to stop the hawker from boarding a long-distance train. The hawker hit Dangar on his nose and tried to board the running train. The hawker was detained and later charged with section 353 of the IPC.

Central railway police constable Vikas Patil was assaulted by a hawker at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) for thwarting his attempt to flee in a long-distance train.

“Hawkers come drunk and threaten to attack or commit suicide if not allowed to operate at the station premises,” said a railway official.