Silchar – A planned demonstration by railway activists advocating for the swift completion of the Chandranathpur-Lanka broad gauge line took an unexpected turn today as members of the Silchar-Lumding Broad Gauge Rupayan Sangram Committee were arrested outside Silchar Railway Station. The activists had gathered to press their demand for the project’s “wartime urgency,” citing its critical importance for regional connectivity and as a crucial alternative to the frequently disrupted Badarpur-Lumding route.
The scene unfolded this morning as protestors chanted slogans and sought to submit a memorandum to railway authorities. Police, present at the location, initially questioned the group regarding the lack of requisite permits for their assembly. Tensions escalated when the activists attempted to enter the station premises to deliver their petition, prompting intervention from district police.
In a dramatic sequence of events, the Silchar Railway Station manager emerged to personally accept the memorandum from the demonstrators. However, immediately after the document changed hands, police informed the activists that they were being taken into custody for engaging in an unauthorised assembly and demonstrating against government policy. The arrests ignited considerable anger among the protestors, who vehemently asserted their detention was baseless. The activists have consistently highlighted the Chandranathpur-Lanka broad gauge line as a vital alternative, particularly crucial during the monsoon season when the Badarpur-Lumding route is frequently rendered impassable by landslides.
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