1,000 held for staging rail roko in Tiruvarur, Nagai

TIRUCHY: Around 1,000 people, who staged a rail roko protest in Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam demanding more rail services were arrested on Monday and the train services were cancelled due to the protest.

The elected members, including Nagapattinam MP M Selvarasu, MLAs Poondi Kalaivanan (Tiruvarur) and Marimuthu (Thiruthuraipoondi) organised a rail roko protest in Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur for as many as 31 charters of demands, including the increased rail services to the districts and claimed that the Centre has been neglecting the Delta districts.

They organised a rail roko protest at Nannilam and Muthupettai in Tiruvarur district and Kizhvelur in Nagapattinam district. They blocked passenger trains in Tiruvarur and Mayiladuthurai Express in Nagapattinam.

The members raised slogans in support of their demands. Several services were cancelled in the section due to the protest.

An all party meeting was organised earlier to meet the railway officials for their demands. Since the meeting with the officials did not bring any solution, the rail roko protest was organised.

Trains short terminated

Pattern of several express train services were fully/partially cancelled owing to the rail roko agitation in Delta districts. Train no 06688 Tiruvarur Junction – Mayiladuturai Junction Express Special which left Tiruvarur Junction at 08.15 hrs was short terminated at Nannilam. Train no 06197 Tiruvarur Junction – Karaikkudi Junction DEMU Express Special which left Tiruvarur Junction at 08.10 hrs on Monday was short terminated at Muthupettai due to the protest.