Six months after removal nod,coaches burnt in 09 riots lie untouched

Even after getting permission for disposal of the burnt coaches of Jammu Tawi Express,which was torched three years back at Jalandhar Cantt railway station during the post-Vienna riots in Jalandhar,the railway authorities have not disposed off the coaches till date.

Even after getting permission for disposal of the burnt coaches of Jammu Tawi Express,which was torched three years back at Jalandhar Cantt railway station during the post-Vienna riots in Jalandhar,the railway authorities have not disposed off the coaches till date. The railway authorities had got the permission for its removal on November 11,2011.

The badly burnt train consisting of 19 coaches is still parked facing NH-1 at the end of Jalandhar Cantt Railway station near Dakoha railway Fatak.

Thieves and drug addicts have been taking advantage of the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities to steal precious metals,especially steel,from the train to make a quick buck.

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Ferozepur Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Naresh Goel when contacted,confirmed that they received permission to dispose off the coaches over six months ago and expected to do it in a couple of months. We are waiting for NOCs from the concerned departments, he said adding that the process for its disposal is in its final stage.

How it happened

The Jammu Tawi was burnt during the violence which broke out in Jalandhar and Punjab following the attacks on Sant Niranjan Das,the head of Dera Sach Khand Ballan at Jalandhar,and his deputy Sant Ramanand in Vienna (Austria) on May 24,2009. Ramanand succumbed to his injuries on May 25,2009. After the news of his death,dera followers in Jalandhar forced the evacuation of 19 coaches of Jammu-Tawi Express and set fire to three coaches in front of the Jalandhar Police and the Army on May 25,2009. The fire spread and damaged all 19 coaches.

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