Tamil Nadu farmers heading to Varanasi to fight polls against PM Modi ejected from train, detained in Chengalpattu

TIRUCHY: Protesting farmers from Tiruchy, who boarded a train to Varanasi to file mass nominations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were reportedly not allotted previously-confirmed seats, leading to a showdown in Thanjavur railway station and allocation of seats only to be later deboarded at Chengalpattu. After they took to protest, they were shepherded to a community hall in Chengalpattu Town where they were detained till reports last came in.

Desiya Thennidiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam had announced that 111 farmers will file nominations against the PM in his constituency of Varanasi for promises unkept. Accordingly, on Friday, farmers led by its state president P Ayyakannu boarded the Kanniyakumari-Banaras Kasi Tamil Sangam Express from Tiruchy at 5.30 am. While they had booked 120 seats, only 36 were confirmed. Hence others with RAC tickets boarded unreserved coaches.

However, the TTE reportedly told Ayyakannu that all the tickets were on the waitlist and hence cancelled and asked them to deboard at the next station.

As Ayyakannu shared the information, agitated farmers pulled the emergency chain. By then the train had reached Thanjavur, where the farmers deboarded and protested "the cancellations on purpose". They said all their tickets were either confirmed or RAC-listed and demanded the Railways add a coach to facilitate their travel.

Officials then assured them of seats once the train reached Villupuram. Subsequently, they continued their journey but with no seats allotted at Villupuram, they continued their protest. Later, they were deboarded at Chengalpattu and the police took them to a community hall. After a delay of more than an hour, the Kanniyakumari-Banaras express train departed from Chengalpattu.

Ayyakannu told reporters in Thanjavur that the tickets were booked well in advance and they received an SMS stating the allotment of coach (S1). “Suddenly, the officials said there was a technical snag with the S1 coach and their tickets stand cancelled. We suspect this is a conspiracy by the railway officials to prevent farmers from contesting against the Prime Minister," Ayyakannu said.

However, the railway officials said due to a snag, the S1 coach had to be disconnected at Kanniyakumari itself. “Since the coach was cancelled, their seats were also cancelled. But we have managed to allot them a few confirmed seats and a few RAC seats," said an official.