23 held for trying to hamper metro services in Kolkata amid nationwide strike

Altogether 23 supporters of the general strike were held at Maidan station of Metro Railway here Tuesday for staging a surprise agitation and preventing the motorman from closing the doors of a Dum Dum-bound train. Some people posing as passengers bought a ticket and entered the platform at Maidan station a little after 3 pm, Metro Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Indrani Banerjee said.

Some other people who had apparently boarded a Metro train from Central station also disembarked at Maidan station at the same time. These people together took out flags and started shouting slogans in favour of the strike. They tried to prevent the motorman of the Dum Dum-bound train, which had halted at Maidan station at 3.16 pm, from closing the doors. RPF personnel present at the platform immediately intervened and removed the agitators, who were trying to prevent the doors from closing, Banerjee said.

The train started its onward journey after a delay of 90 seconds owing to the incident, she said. Maidan station authorities informed the incident to Kolkata Police and handed over 23 agitators to them. They were later taken away by the city police personnel from the station, she added. Ten central trade unions have called the two-day strike for "anti-people" policies of the Centre.

(With inputs from agencies.)