WR guards complain of ruckus by group of devotees

The guards of suburban trains on the Western railway (WR) have protested against hooliganism by a section of devotees of Siddhivinayak temple, Prabhadevi, every Tuesday and asked the WR administration to make adequate security arrangements, failing which they would launch an agitation.

The guards of suburban trains on the Western railway (WR) have protested against hooliganism by a section of devotees of Siddhivinayak temple, Prabhadevi, every Tuesday and asked the WR administration to make adequate security arrangements, failing which they would launch an agitation.

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The guards allege that a few miscreants from an unruly crowd of devotees on their way back from the temple not only troubled them but also inconvenience other passengers. They hurled abuses and turned violent on two occasions in the last few months, the guards said.

A WR motorman told HT that a few young boys in the first few north-bound local trains created a ruckus regularly on Tuesday mornings.

The Mumbai Guards’ Association (MGA) raised the issue in the wake of an incident at Vile Parle station on March 19, when the guard of a Borivli-bound train was hit with a waist belt around 5.30am.

“If the administration fails to address our concerns, launching an agitation is the only option we have,” said an office bearer of MGA. “As guards of the train, it is our responsibility to take care of the safety of passengers. But we aren’t safe ourselves, how we can protect others?”

WR spokesperson said they would try to beef up security at railway stations.