Jewellers’ strike: ‘Rail roko’ puts Mumbai GRP in tizzy

The jewellers’ associations have been protesting throughout the country against the 1 percent excise duty levied on them by the Centre

With text messages of an alleged rail roko planned by jewellers’ associations between Churchgate and Dadar doing the rounds for more than a week, the cyber cell of the government railway police (GRP) have now launched a probe to track the number from which the chain was started.

Members of the jewellers’ association blocked the Sion-Panvel highway at CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday. (Bachchan Kumar)

The jewellers’ associations have been protesting throughout the country against the 1 percent excise duty levied on them by the Centre.

The messages, with specific date, time and place, have been doing the rounds for at least 10 days.

“We cannot dismiss these messages as rumors and we also don’t want to be caught unawares. So we are keeping the police station concerned on alert. However, no agitation has been held so far. We have started a probe to check the source of these messages,” said Madhukar Pandey, GRP commissioner.

One such message circulated on Monday claimed the association would hold an agitation between Marine Lines and Charni Road stations. The Churchgate railway police station was intimated and police presence was beefed up, but no agitation was held.

Officials said such incidents are putting pressure on the already short-staffed GRP.

“The force cannot be put on tenterhooks by these associations. We are coordinating with the city police for information on any such agitation,” said Pandey.

Once the number is identified, a case will be registered under various sections of the Information Technology Act and for rumormongering under the Indian Penal Code.