Bahujan Kranti Morcha blocks trains, autos at Kanjurmarg

The protest on the tracks of Kanjurmarg caused disruptions for nearly half-an-hour

The members of the Bahujan Kranti Morcha, protesting against the amended Citizenship Act and proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens, staged rail roko at Kanjurmarg station disrupting services during peak hours on Wednesday morning. The disruption on Central Railway was, however, brief as soon the police hauled away 52 protesters.

"After a train halted at the station, the protesters jumped on the track and started shouting slogans. It led to angry exchanges between the commuters and the demonstrators. The police came and took everyone away. The disruption affected the services for nearly half an hour," Shobha Joshi, a commuter, said.

"Trains were halted at 7.55 am and the traffic was cleared by 8.16 am after a mob stopped CSMT-bound slow traffic. We request people not to stop trains and cooperate with us for smooth operation of suburban trains," CR Chief Public Relations officer Shivaji Sutar told Mmid-day.

The police detained the protesters for a few hours and charged them for several violations. They had imposed restrictions on large gatherings after the organisation gave a call for Bharat Bandh on Wednesday. Office-goers at Bandra East station were also inconvenienced when the demonstrators blocked the path of the autos and prevented them from heading to the Bandra-Kurla Complex. Sporadic shutdowns were reported in other parts of the city, too, including Santacruz, Andheri and Goregaon.

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