Pandemonium at Fort railway station
Pandemonium broke out at the Colombo Fort Railway Station last afternoon when angry commuters forced themselves into the Station Master’s office wounding two railway employees and damaging furniture after they became restive due to train delays.
Fort Railway Station Superintendent S. Wijesingha said the cancellation and delay of trains occurred due to a colour light failure between Slave Island and Maradana.
“We had to cancel and delay trains on the main line, Chilaw, coast and Kelani Valley lines in the afternoon due to the colour signal failure. All trains and office trains in particular left behind schedule and we continuously announced about the disruption over the public address system, ” Mr. Wijesingha said.
Pictures: Dailymirror
He said some passengers of the Kelani Valley line were agitated due to the delay and invaded the Station Master’soffice. In the melee two railway employees were injured and admitted to the accident ward at the National Hospital, he said.
Meanwhile, passengers charged that employees of the Station Master’s office attacked them when they went to inquire about the long delay of trains on the Kelani Valley line as thousands of passengers had been stranded at the station.
“They attacked us after dragging us into the room,” a passenger charged.
A spokesman of the Fort Police said about 25 passengers were detained overnight in connection with the incident.
By Sandun A Jayasekera
Source: Dailymirror
