Students held for attacking RPF constable for questioning recklessness

CHENNAI: A group of college students have been booked by the police for attacking a RPF (Railway protection force) constable, who questioned them for creating ruckus and bursting crackers in Gummidipoondi railway station on Saturday.

Police said that a large group of students of a government arts college in Ponneri were returning from their college annual day celebrations on Saturday. In their mood for reverie, the students who were carrying drums with them, danced at the railway station and also burst crackers, causing public nuisance.

The students also stuck posters on the train coaches, with the words, ‘GPD route’ (Gummidipoondi) as part of their celebrations. Commuters in Central-Arakkonam route have been witness to such acts from mostly school and college students, who even clash inside the trains over route rivalry.

When a RPF constable questioned the students and asked them to stay put, they attacked him. Commuter associations have been requesting railways to take action but the authorities, who have been doing awareness programmes talking to parents and college authorities, remain clueless.

“When a group of students were creating nuisance in an EMU at Gummidipoondi station, RPF Constable, Rajesh Kumar tried to counsel them but in vain. When the train left GPD, he travelled to Ponneri by road and saw that the nuisance was continuing and apprehended these students,” read a tweet from the official account of Chennai DRM (Divisional Railway Manager).

The tweet further added that this will send a strong message to youths indulging in stunts, footboard travel, singing, dancing and creating nuisance in trains.

The students were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.

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