Professor D. N. Jha speaks on the myth of cow in India. In this part, he talks about the consumption of meat in the old Vedic times. He also tells us how the misconception of cow not being used as food in the ancient India, is being spread by the cow-vigilantes. Watch the second part of the talk.
Courtesy: Newsclick.in
Kerala is a unique state having many characteristics, famed for the Kerala Developmental Model that ahs showcased the welfare development concept emphasising high human development indicators.
Gifted with a decent forest cover, green-ish hamlets, 44 perennial rivers, hills and valleys with the identity 'God’s own country'. However, after inching towards the ‘neo-liberal concept of development’ Kerala, is, today, not an exception when it comes to giving a go-by to crucial issues related to livelihoods and the environment.
Once, one of the worlds’s sought after environmental hot spots, acclaimed for its bio-diversity, the Western Ghats, within Kerala today stands destroyed by trespassers. Sand mining continues to kill its rivers. Paddy lands have been modified to commercial lands. Sea shores have been encroached upon by hotels that are brands in the Tourism Industry.
Irrespective of the different political spectrum within the politics of Kerala, all governments and their attendant systems are showing an eerie interest in ‘developmental schemes’ which can and will have the impact of ravaging the environment.
Kerala, earlier had evolved a concept of developmental culture which was nurtured by the Revivalist, Gandhians as well as communist movements that was committed to sustainable development. Education and health for all, Land to the tiller and environmental farming formed the bedrock of the state’s polices.
At that time, Kerala saw a positive track record whether it was on the literacy front or in public health care (mother and infant mortality rates, secular politics etc). The eastern part of Kerala was protected by its ever green forests and different adjacent water sheds. Rarely did Kerala miss a monsoon, and droughts, extraordinary high temperature, etc were rare, rare happenings.
Today that commitment has collapsed and even as temperatures soar to extreme heat, diseases like swine flu, dengue, chicken gunia etc are a threat to the state where the public health system is otherwise well equipped.
Since the 1990s, both the Kerala state machinery and the mindset of its vast and moneyed middle class population (75%) are being deeply influenced by the metro mode of global developmental strategies. Even today, the creamy layers welcome the Hyper malls, golf clubs, toll gated roads, SEZ, air ports, water theme parks, self-financing institutions etc.
Kerala lies shaped like a ribbon on the banks of Arabian Sea having 35 to 125 kms wide mountainous forests of the Western Ghats which is gifted by a rare variety of flora and fauna. Due to the monsoon rain from June 1 and over the next eight months, muddy river water flows from 41 rivers to the Arabian Sea and results in the Chakara (harvest of fishes), a rare sight not seen in many other countries.
Though the length of the seas shores in Kerala is just 590 km, the total quantum of fishing totalled around 8.4 lakh tones, the highest of all Indian states. Due to the anti-environmental policies of governments, this output was reduced to 4.6 lakh by 2014. As a result, today, as many as 10 lakh fishermen have been shorn of their income. This has affected the economy of the state as also the protein level in the nutritional diet of Keralites.
Since Kerala is one of the least industrialised states, there are a higher number of jobless educated youths. This has pushed the government in its eagerness to invite more and more investors. At one point, what deliberately kept this class away was the allegation that labour strikes were more frequent and the high bargaining capacity of labour unions posed a threat to investors. Now these theories stand rejected. Kerala has had the least number of labour agitations in the past 25 years and today, many companies especially IT conglomerates are active in the state. The state government is making and unmaking many rules and regulations to welcome the investors.
Kerala has a number of ports along its Arabian Sea shore. Vizhinjam is situated very close to the famous Kovalam beach, has been a famous port since AD 100. It was the capital of the old dynasty called AAY RAAJA. There are around 50,000 people living in the surrounding villages, of which 15,000 people are engaged in fishing. The state government was planning to start a trans-shipment port here many years back. This idea was sought to be fulfilled by the UDF government and Adani groups through an MOU signed in 2015. There are different and serious environmental and economic threats to this new project.
The Vizhinjam International Sea port project has been conceived under the PPP mode of construction (Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer). The total cost of the project is an estimated Rs 7525 crores and the share of the state government is 67% (3436 crores +viability fund Rs 1635 crores) and of the Adani s’ is only 33.% .( Rs 2454 crores ).
The state government agrees that Adani group can get the loan from nationalised banks with a public guarantee. Moreover public funds will further also be used to construct a fishing harbour at the cost of Rs 1463 crores. The road, rail and other facilities will be constructed by spending another Rs 1975 crores from state government coffers.
After 15 years of operation, the state government will be able to enjoy 1% of the benefit and Adani will get a substantial 99% of the profits. The state government will allow a hand over a precious 93 acres of land to the private corporate giant with SEZ facilities of more than 650 acres so that fancy five star hotels, flats, commercial institutes will come up and which will be the major attractions for the investor.
In this connection, the state government has agreed to extend the PPP contact for a further 10 more years. The CAG report says that the MOU signed between the state authority and Adani groups will get the Adani conglomerate a further whopping benefit of Rs 29217 crores. If we calculate the value of the investment made in government aids and other public supports, the net loss to the state will be around Rs 2,90,000crore over 40 years.
The environmental impact will be worse. The Vizhinjam Sea Shore has the maximum sand erosion. The area has more than a dozen of endangered corals, muscles and 40 to 50 kms of the sea is famous for the WEDGE BANK . There are 15,000 men and women engaged in fishing throughout the year. The average fishing quantum per person is 2000 kg of fish per year.
The new port will drive away thousands of fisher folk from their livelihood incurring a loss if no less than Rs 1,000 crores. Around 25,000 self-employed persons will be adversely impacted. The port will demand the construction of a water break stretching over 3.8 kilometers, the northern part of the wall will be swallowed by the waves and the Southern part will be projecting to sea . Both phenomena can seriously damage the ecology. Since the Kovalam beach is near the port, this beach famed internationally will be condemned to history.
To make the water break, the construction of the port will need more than 10millions tones of stones that will destroy the Western Ghats which have already been weakened.
For the Kerala government, the Vallarpadam Container Terminal, commissioned by 2011 is good lesson. The SEZ included port was launched, selling many dreams. But even after diluting the Cabottash rule of India, one of the dream projects of the state is today running at a loss. As the world cargo business lies in the doldrums, the fate of Vizhinjam could be far, far worse than that of Cochin Vallarpadam Cargo Terminal.
The Adani group of companies has a dubious history within the Indian democratic system. Their influence on Mr. Modi and his party has been close, and even controversial at several junctures. Retired IPS officers who had played a pivotal role in inactivating the police during the Gujarat 2002 riots, were absorbed in the Adani group of companies, signalling a dangerous phase in our democracy and for our society.
Kerala does not need more PPP projects like shipping Terminals, international air ports, shopping complex etc. These are not the answer to the sustainable development of the state. Since the days of the national movement for independence, Kerala has been the land of radical thought and revolutionary movements. Looking the facts and figures dispassionately, it is the duty of Keralites to say ‘no to Vizhinjam’ .
Farmers from a village in Marathwada’s Beed district filed a police complaint on Friday against the India Meteorological Department (IMD), accusing it of colluding with seed and pesticide manufacturers and inflating monsoon forecast figures, reports PTI
This complaint has been filed at Dindrud police station in Majalgaon tehsil of Beed district, alleges that officials at the Pune and Colaba Met Department “colluded” with manufacturers and caused losses of lakhs of rupees to farmers who sowed their fields based on the IMD forecast.
Gangabhishan Thaware, 54, a farmer from Anandgaon village in Beed district and a complainant, said IMD officials misled farmers with a forecast that said there would be ample rain during the kharif season in June and July. “Farmers sowed their fields based on the IMD forecast, but after a brief initial spell, there has been no rain and farmers are staring at a bleak future. The sowing operations having gone waste,” Mr. Thaware said. In the complaint, he has added, “Farmers in our region completed pre-sowing operations before June, based on the IMD forecast which said there will be ample rains in June and July. They spent lakhs of rupees on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and labourers wages. But it hasn’t rained since. IMD officials and seed and fertiliser companies who colluded and gave an inflated monsoon forecast are responsible for the plight of farmers and should be taken to task.” Mr. Thaware said farmers have also written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking his intervention.
Dr. P.K. Nandankar, senior scientist, IMD, Pune said information they provide are advisories to the Central and State governments to aid the planning process. “It is up to citizens, including farmers, to interpret them. Every monsoon has a couple of dry spells, and our forecasts had made it clear that the usually arid Marathwada region is going through a dry patch.”
Dismissing the farmers’ allegations, Dr. Nandankar said newspapers had reported extensively on the dry spell in Marathwada. He added that IMD bulletins are sent to the State Department of Agriculture twice a week, and agricultural universities are updated through messages and alerts to help them advise farmers better.
“Our daily 30-page forecast bulletins are not region-specific and cover the whole country. Our short-range forecasts give approximate weather conditions over a five-day period. If we say, for instance, that Marathwada will receive 700 mm rainfall this monsoon as compared to its average 500 mm, we are not exaggerating but merely making a long-term prediction. It entirely depends on how people and farmers use this data,” he said.
An official at Majalgaon police station said they have received the farmers’ complaint and were looking into the matter.
The Hindu reports that apathetic bank officials of the Canara Bank are refusing to honour an accident cover claim under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana by the family of Amarnath pilgrim Nirmala Thakur, who lost her life in the terror attack on July 10 in Jammu and Kashmir. Seven pilgrims including Ms. Thakur were killed when their bus came under terrorist attack in Anantnag district.
Her son Pradip Thakur told the newspaper that the officials at the Canara Bank’s Dahanu branch said his mother hadn’t filled out a specific form while opening the account under the Central government scheme, which guarantees accident cover of Rs. 1 lakh to the account holder. “My mother had opened an account in the bank under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. I want the bank to pay the insurance amount. Modi jine kaha tha (PM Narendra Modi had promised it),” says Mr. Thakur. Ms. Thakur had nominated her husband as the beneficiary.
He adds: “We are not very educated. It was the bank’s duty to inform us about the form when we were applying for the account with them.”
His wife, Rekha, adds, “How were we to know the procedure? They told us about other formalities, but didn’t mention a form for insurance. Rekha says she had accompanied her mother-in-law to the bank and both had applied for Jan Dhan accounts on the same day.
The bank officials are defending themselves, however. Insurances for riots and manmade disasters, anyway run into several complications as people-unfriendly regulations and a sector that has not been made accountable, are not made to pay up.
Officials at the Canara Bank’s Dahanu branch said Ms. Thakur is to blame for the situation. Initially, Manisha Matkar, the branch manager, said the Thakurs were mistaken. “Mr. Thakur is probably talking about another insurance cover, under which you need to contribute Rs. 12 per month. He should have approached me to resolve the issue,” Ms. Matkar said, when this reporter sought to know if bank officials were aware of the in-built insurance cover for Jan Dhan account holders.
Vineet Abraham, who will be succeeding Ms.Matkar as branch manager, said he doesn’t know about the Thakurs’ problem. claims he has no idea about the issue. “The person should have filled the form,” he said.
Representation Image
Violence over cow slaughter rumour: MP court acquits nine in rioting case
In a 2013 case, social activist Anurag Modi had moved the apex court, alleging that former BJP minister Kamal Patel and his son Sudip had instigated the riots with an eye on the Assembly elections.
Nine persons accused of burning houses and shops belonging to Muslims following a rumour about cow slaughter in Madhya Pradesh’s Khirkiya tehsil in 2013 have been acquitted by a trial court in Harda district, on ground of the ‘absence of prosecution witnesses who had fled’. Ironically, the acquittals in one of the 12 cases of rioting in the Chhipabad Police Station area has come days before the hearing in the Supreme Court of a petition alleging that the police did not properly investigate the riots.
Around 50 Muslims lost their homes and shops on September 9, 2013, in Kheda and Pahatgaon villages as rioters took to the streets accusing Muslims of slaughtering a cow. The autopsy report said the animal died of consuming polythene bags.
Social activist Anurag Modi had moved the apex court, alleging that former BJP minister Kamal Patel and his son Sudip had instigated the riots with an eye on the Assembly elections. He had moved the SC after the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected his petition. Investigating Officers have been asked to appear in the SC on July 17.
Only last week, Special Judge Vivek Agarwal acquitted nine of the 12 accused, observing that most prosecution witnesses were not present because they had fled. It was not established from the deposition of witnesses that the accused committed the crime, he said.
The complainant, Sayeed Khan had stated in his complaint: “A mob of 400 to 500 people shouting ‘Gai katne walonke haath kat do (chop the hands of cow slaughters)’ and ‘Jai Shri Ram’ entered our house and shoved a rod into the diesel tank of the tractor. They used the diesel to set vehicles and the house on fire.’’ The police, had later booked Surendra alias Tiger Gopal Singh, self-proclaimed chief of Gauraksha Commando Force, and 11 others under charges of rioting, trespass and arson.
When he was examined in court, Sayeed said he did not know the accused and would not be able to identify who set the house on fire. Defence lawyer Prakash Tank, representing the accused, said that neither the police nor the prosecution was serious about the trial.
The Code of Criminal procedure, section 311, encourages the court to be the ‘eyes and ears of justice’ and intervene when the investigations have been inadequate or witnesses turned hostile. Section 311 empowers the court at any stage of any inquiry, trial or other proceedings under the Code to summon any person as a witness or examine any person in attendance, though not summoned as witness or recall and re-examine already examined witnesses. In the fames BEST Bakery case, April 12, 2004, the Supreme Court had quoted from this section and the jurisprudence around it to encourage lower courts to act in the interests of justice.
Increasingly, the absence of adequate definitions of ‘mass crimes’, arson, mob violence and lynchings, have led to demands for a law against mass crimes that defines these crimes, and puts the onus on the participants of the mob, the financiers and instigators of the mob as also local police and administrative officials when such mob violence is allowed to take place.
Former JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar spoke at the Azadi Kooch (Freedom March) in Ahmedabad on 11 July 2017.
Courtesy: Newsclick.in
On July 2, a Facebook post by a Hindu teenager sparked violent communal clashes in North Parganas, which led to the death of one person and the destruction of a few police vehicles. However, amid all this, the way the news played out on social media, and the reactions it received shows that in this day and age it is becomingly increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction. It is important also to point out that BJP and its related organisations went on an overdrive to tarnish the image not just of Muslims in Bengal but also promote false news. While party members went berserk uploading fake images on social media, its leaders came out saying that they would ensure a Godhra-like incident happens in Bengal soon. In this two-part series, Mirza Mosaraf Hossain looks at Baduria and Bashirhat separately and focus on separating facts from fiction. In the first part, we look at how things unfolded in the week following July 2 in Baduria and listen to what the locals had to say about the incidents.
There is a high chance that before July 2, you may never have heard of Baduria, a municipal town with a population of 52,000 in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. One Facebook post and the reactions it evoked brought national attention to this town and for all the wrong reasons. But before we start explaining what happened, let us explain the demography of Baduria. Unlike what a lot of right-wing media said, the majority population in the town is of Hindus: 55% and Muslims 45%, as confirmed by the former chairman of the municipality. It has a total of 17 Wards and according to the results of 2015 elections, there are nine councillors from TMC, one from CPI, three from BJP, one from CPIM and three from Congress. Three months back, one BJP councilor-Sukla Mondal from Araberia (Ward no 8)- joined TMC. This town has a literacy rate of about 67%.
Magurkhali village is the 17th and the last ward of the municipality. It is a village of 2,500 families, as informed by an ex-vice chairman of the municipality, Amirul Islam, who coincidentally happens to be a resident of this village. In the last election in 2015, BJP candidate Manisha Ghosh defeated Rehana Begum with a margin of 50 votes—Begum got 450 and Ghosh 500. Ghosh confirmed Islam’s claim that the village consists of a Hindu majority, and the homes of Hindus and Muslims are distributed equally across the village. A local source also confirmed that the land for the mosque of the village was given by a Hindu and till now the mosque receives various contributions in his name. What makes this even more interesting is that the house of the accused teen happens to be in front of the mosque.
Sauvik Sarkar, the 17-year-old accused, is currently enrolled in the 11th grade, pursuing Arts stream from Rudrapur Rajballav High School, half a km from his house. Here he also completed his Matriculation. He lost his mother eight years ago and he was brought up by his elder uncle and aunt. Two of his uncles are Sub-Inspectors in Bengal’s police department. Each and every villager we spoke, whether Hindu or Muslims, confirmed that his family had or have no political link, now or before. His classmates also describe him as a gentle person.
On July 2, a derogatory photo insulting Islamic sentiments was posted in his Facebook profile between 2.30 to 3.00 P.M from his village, Magurkhali. This caused an uproar among Muslims of the region. By 7 P.M, about five thousand Muslims from various places, whom the villagers of Magurkhali had never seen earlier, assembled on the school ground of Rudrapur demanding immediate action against the boy. To keep the situation under control, Tushar Singh, the present Chairman of Baduria, Bappa Mitra, the local O.C of Baduria police station, SDPO reached there with a local Muslim leader, Abdul Matin who is the General Secretary of All India Sunnatul Al Jamayat, a non-profit Political Islamic Welfare Trust. Matin pleaded all Muslims to maintain peace in the locality and by 3 am on July 3, Sauvik had been arrested.
Next day, road blockades started in the nearby villages –Ramchandrapur, Keosha, Swarupnagar by Muslims demanding severe punishment for Souvik. The mob even torched tyres on the road, tried to inflame Hindu shops but there was no serious visible rampage at these villages.
Another incident took place at Sayestanagar market of Baduria constituency on Monday afternoon where an 18-year-old Muslim boy Safiqul Gazi from Katiahat village, was attacked when he was coming from the nearby Gachha village with his friend Rejaul Gazi. “We were assaulted by 10-15 Hindus on the road on our way to home and were rebuked with slang languages. They forced us to say Jai Sri Ram and snatched our bicycle, chains and ring”, said Safiqul whose right hand was wrapped with six stitches.
At around 5 pm on the same day, about 300 to 400 Muslims gheraoed the police station asking the police to hand over the accused. When police thwarted their demand, the mob torched three police jeeps in retaliation. More than 400 people, not from the Magurkhali village as confirmed by many Hindu and Muslim villagers, at around 6.30 P.M, gathered in front of Souvik’s house to torch it when the news of burning jeeps at the police station reached them. Many Muslims from this village urged the mob not to do so. “What are you doing? Who are you? We have not seen you earlier in this locality Why are you worsening Hindu- Muslim relation?” was the request of one of Muslims of the village. Later, he along with Hindus and many Muslims of the village watered the flame and called the fire brigade. Following this incident, the village calmed down to the persistence of its residents and nothing untoward happened after this.
“Souvik and his father and uncles bear good traits. They even do not go to the village club. The chances of them having political linkage are next to impossible. The boy looks simple and like any other youth: It’s unbelievable that he could do such kind of heinous activities”, said a Muslim neighbour of Souvik who knew him from his birth.
“At first, we were shocked when we heard Souvik was behind this. He used to remain silent all time and did not talk many other classmates except his four Hindu friends. How could he commit such a crime?” was the question posed by one of Souvik’s Muslim classmates from the same village. He also confirmed that Souvik had never uttered any anti-Muslim remark in the class or in the playground.
According to another of Souvik’s neighbour, who is a Hindu, “The reaction of Muslims made matters much more complicated. Who is behind Souvik’s brainwashing, what provoked him to do this kind of loathing deeds could have been answered if normalcy had prevailed after his arrest”. He also said that there is a high chance that his Facebook account must have been hacked or his friends have done it using his phone.
The imam of the village mosque, which is hardly 20 meters from Souvik’s house, said, “ I am serving as Imam in this village for 25 years. I have not seen anything such as Hindu-Muslim clash in this village. Now whatever happened is condemnable. On the very day it took place, Abdul Matin, the General Secretary of All India Sunnatul Al Jamayat along with local police and administration pleaded Muslims not to vitiate the situation and maintain peace in the locality.” He also added that Muslims of this village have full faith in law and order of the country and condemned the mobs that are not from this village.
Local police administration played a vital role in calming down the situation. From 3rd July 144 is enforced in the locality, internet connection was suspended until July 10. Prabhas Chandra Dey, the Sub-Inspector of Baduria police station who is handling the case, could not be contacted.
No rampage of shops, persons of both, Hindus and Muslims were seen in the village except the partially burnt marks in Souvik’s house. “No Hindu was injured in this mishap. No Hindu properties are damaged in this locality except Souvik’s one. Though the present situation is normal, Villagers are in utter tension for further possible consequences,” said Manisha Ghosh, the BJP Councilor of the village. She also said that local administration along with Councillors and MLAs took a decision in a meeting convened by the B.D.O for a communal harmony rally. But the date is not till now fixed.
So, in essence, while tensions ran high and tempers flew, Bhaduria did limp back to normalcy. But, if you were to see social media during this period, you would have been made to believe that all hell broke loose in the region. In the next part of this series, we will look at what conspired in Bashirhat, the other region where a series of events turned ugly.
Courtesy: Two Circles
Are trains and buses not safe for all Indians any more? No, it seems if you bear a certain identity. ' First it was Mohd Akhlaq (2015), recently Mohd Salman (Jharkand) or Junaid (Haryana) now it is Uttar Pradesh. Ruled by Yogi Adityanath since March 2017, this state has een increasing crimes and lawlessness. Of the family of 10, including the differently abled son, Faizan were severely injured: four have fractures, four head injuries and almost all severe internal stomach injuries.
The absence of any official of the Railway Police (GRP) and the failure of 100, the emergency call number for the police to respond, shows how fragile the security of ordinary citizens has become.
The Times of India reports that, a family of 10 that included women, children, a couple of elderly and a teenager with disability was brutally assaulted and abused on board the Shikohabad-Kasganj passenger train near Mainpuri late Wednesday evening (July 13). Barely recevering from the trauma, Asiya Begum told Sabrangindia that the police is finally waiting for the police to conduct a fair investigation.
A complaint has been lodged with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urging an intervention to ensure justice, rehabilitation, security and compensation.
The family is currently lodged at the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia government hospital in Farrukhabad, the victims, who belong to are all Muslims, said they were targeted because they "appeared different". The incident took place between Mota and Nibkarori railway stations, some 30 km away from Farrukhabad junction. The incident is one more reflection of the vicious hatred being allowed to spill on our streets.
In the criminal complaint, the first information report (FIR) lodged by Mohammad Shakir, 50, he said, “At around 6 pm our family boarded the train from Bhongaon. The train had travelled about 4 km when a youth from a group of five men snatched the mobile phone of my son Faizan, who has been handicapped. When we protested, the men assaulted our family members, including women and Faizan.”
The injured have been identified as Shakir, his wife Asiya, 40, daughter Arsi, 18, his two sons Faizan, 17, and Arsaan, 22, brother Arif, 35, nephew Asif, 17, brother-in-law Shaheed and sisters Shenaz and Maenaz. Of the 10, four have fractures, four head injuries and almost all internal stomach injuries.
Shakir also told the TOI; “Later when the train was about to reach Nibkarori station, the youths stopped the train by pulling its chain and called up some of their friends, who arrived on motorbikes. Then, some more men, who were armed with iron rods and sticks, attacked us."
The victims had locked the train compartment's door from inside when they got to know that the attackers were calling up more men. But somehow about 20-30 men managed to barge in near Nibkakori station and continued the assault until some of the passengers fainted.
It was not simply assault but also molestation. A police officer involved in the investigation told TOI that the women appeared to have been molested as their clothes were torn. "Right now they are in no condition to spell out in detail what happened, but prima facie, it appears that some of the women were molested."
OP Singh, superintendent of police, GRP (Jhansi division), who has charge of Agra division, too, said, “An FIR has been lodged under IPC section 395 (dacoity), but more sections will be added once the investigation is done. Based on the video of the incident, special operation group and other police teams have detained three men and are questioning them.”
Mohd Shaikir re-lived the horror of the attack when he spoke. Shakir, who has suffered severe head injuries and a fracture on his right hand, said, “It was sheer horror. I will never be able to forget what happened. They attacked us with iron roads, robbed our belongings and molested our women. They didn’t even spare my 17-year-old physically and mentally challenged son. They abused us all the while and I heard someone saying, 'kill them'. They beat us until we became unconscious.”
A video of the incident obtained by TOI shows a group of men brandishing iron rods and sticks first banging on the train compartment's door, pelting people inside with stones and then finally getting in from the emergency window after breaking the glass panel. The carefully planned attacks included attacking, especially the women in the family.
Arsaan said, “The assailants groped my mother and tore my sister's clothes. They even attacked other passengers who initially came to rescue us. Later the passengers abandoned the coach leaving us behind to fight the assailants.” He added, “We attempted to contact police on Dial 100, but the call kept dropping. It was only when the train reached Farrukhabad junction that the GRP came and took us to hospital.”
Asked why no GRP squad was present in the train, the SP said, “Due to kanwar yatra the force has been deployed at various location to provide safety to pilgrims. It has caused shortage of men to provide security in trains.”
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