Pune: Passengers blocked the Bhagat Ki Kothi-Kacheguda Express at Hingoli railway station in Maharashtra for more than two hours on Thursday, alleging that Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel assaulted a teenager and misbehaved with women travelling with him. The protest ended after police assured the group that their complaint would be investigated. The RPF, however, denied the allegations and offered a different account of the incident.
Protest erupts at Hingoli railway station
Hingoli, Maharashtra: The incident reportedly took place in the early hours of Thursday aboard the Bhagat Ki Kothi-Kacheguda Express (Train No. 17606), which runs from Bhagat Ki Kothi in Rajasthan to Kacheguda in Hyderabad. The alleged altercation occurred after the train crossed Washim, around 40 km from Hingoli.
The passengers involved in the incident were followers of Dr BR Ambedkar who were returning from Nagpur after attending a Dussehra event. The group had boarded the train at Akola and was travelling towards Nanded when a teenager accompanying them allegedly entered a reserved coach by mistake.
According to the protesters, the situation escalated after the teenager was allegedly assaulted by some passengers and RPF personnel. They further claimed that women travelling with the group were pushed and subjected to misbehaviour when they tried to intervene. Other members of the group also alleged that they were assaulted during the incident.
The allegations prompted anger among the passengers, who decided to protest when the train reached Hingoli railway station.
Passengers sit on tracks and stop train
After the train arrived at Hingoli, the agitated passengers got down and sat on the railway tracks in front of the engine. They raised slogans against railway personnel and prevented the train from continuing its journey.
The demonstration brought the train’s movement to a halt and delayed its departure by more than two hours, according to a railway official at Hingoli station.
Blocking railway tracks can disrupt train operations and affect passengers travelling on the same route. In this case, the protest continued until local police intervened and spoke to the agitated group.
The incident also brought attention to the conflicting accounts of what happened inside the train. While the protesters accused RPF personnel of assault and misconduct, the force denied wrongdoing and said its staff had been dealing with passengers who were allegedly travelling without tickets and recording videos.
Police intervene to defuse tension
Hingoli town police reached the railway station after the protest began and intervened to bring the situation under control. Police officials spoke to the protesters and assured them that their complaint would be investigated.
Following the assurance, the passengers called off their agitation and moved away from the tracks. The train was then allowed to resume its journey, an official said.
The police intervention helped resolve the immediate disruption at the station. However, the competing accounts of the incident remain central to the investigation, which is expected to establish what happened inside the coach and whether any misconduct occurred.
The assurance of an investigation was key to ending the protest, as the group had demanded action over the alleged treatment of the teenager and the women accompanying him.
RPF denies assault allegations
RPF inspector S P Paswan denied the allegations when contacted and provided a different explanation for the confrontation.
According to Paswan, RPF personnel were clearing the crowded B2 coach when they objected to some passengers who were allegedly travelling without tickets and recording videos. He said the teenager panicked after being asked to delete the recordings.
Paswan added that an RPF constable noticed the teenager’s condition and contacted the train guard and the Hingoli station master to arrange for a doctor.
The RPF’s account differs from the protesters’ allegations of physical assault and inappropriate behaviour towards women. The force’s denial means the circumstances surrounding the altercation will need to be examined as part of the inquiry.
The available account does not establish whether the teenager or other passengers were formally found to have travelled without valid tickets, nor does it independently confirm the allegations made against RPF personnel.
Investigation underway
An investigation into the incident is underway, an official said. The inquiry will be important in clarifying the sequence of events, including the circumstances that led to the teenager being confronted, the allegations of assault and the claims that women were mistreated.
The incident also highlights how disputes aboard crowded trains can escalate and disrupt railway services when passengers feel their grievances have not been addressed. At Hingoli, the confrontation led to a protest on the tracks and a delay of more than two hours before police assurances helped restore movement.
The allegations against RPF personnel remain unverified, and the force has denied wrongdoing. The findings of the investigation will be crucial in determining what happened and whether further action is warranted.