Closure of railway crossing sparks violence

LUCKNOW - Twelve people, including six policemen, were injured in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district Tuesday when a mob went on a rampage after the closure of a railway crossing, officials said.

The mob fought pitched battles with the police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF), besides damaging public property and targeting a number of vehicles.

Police used batons to disperse the protesters.

“We had no option other than to use the force,” Etawah Deputy Superintendent of Police M.P. Salonia told reporters. The injured are out of danger, he said.

According to police, the railway authorities decided to close the Farrukhabad railway crossing after an over-bridge was constructed over it.

However, locals claimed that the over-bridge was risky to pedestrians as it lacked a footpath.

On a number of occasions earlier, the authorities had to defer their decision to close the railway crossing because of protests.