A heated dispute over operational responsibilities for the newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express on the Agra-Udaipur route turned violent, highlighting tensions between railway employees from different divisions.
The altercation, which reportedly occurred between employees of the Kota and Agra Railway Divisions, stemmed from a disagreement over who would operate the high-speed train. The argument escalated into a physical fight, during which a loco pilot and his assistant were allegedly beaten up, sustaining injuries and having their clothes torn.
A viral video circulating online shows several individuals forcefully entering the Vande Bharat train cabin through a window. The video depicts a chaotic scene with several people pushing their way into the engine, leading to a person being thrown outside and subsequently beaten by the crowd.
The altercation also resulted in damage to railway property. The lock on the train’s guard room door was broken, and the window pane was shattered.
The Railway Board has acknowledged the incident and initiated an investigation, however, a resolution remains elusive. The confusion over the division of responsibilities for the Vande Bharat train has caused repeated delays in its arrival and departure.
Following the violence, Agra guard Raghavendra Saraswat filed a complaint against unknown railway personnel, leading to the registration of a case. The incident has sparked criticism of the Railway Protection Force personnel at Gangapur City Junction, who were reportedly filming the altercation instead of intervening.
Eyewitnesses claim that employees from the Agra Railway Division were forcibly removed from the train cabin by employees from other divisions. The Agra employees, however, locked themselves inside the cabin, refusing to leave. This led to a confrontation between the employees, with the Kota Division staff urging the Agra division staff to disembark and take over the train’s operation. The heated argument eventually turned violent, resulting in injuries to employees and damage to railway property.