Railway staff agitated over officer “threatening” TTEs

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Members of the SRMU staging a demonstration in Madurai on Wednesday.— Photo: S. James

Around 500 employees affiliated to the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union here staged a demonstration condemning the southern railway (Chennai) chief commercial manager Ajit Saxena who allegedly threatened women TTEs with a pistol in his chamber.

After raising slogans against the senior officer for his ‘remarks’ and demanding his arrest at a demonstration held here in front of the Divisional Railway Manager’s office on Wednesday, SRMU office-bearers told reporters the issue was that the women TTEs in Chennai had sought an appointment to air their grievances in Chennai two days ago.

Since the CCM told them earlier that they could meet him anytime, a group of 16 women TTEs went to his chamber with the intention to air their grievances and hoping to get some solution.

“Not in a mood to listen to them, the officer, it is alleged, suddenly showed his pistol and threatened to shoot them, if they did not leave his chamber…”

Agitated, the women employees lodged a complaint with the Flower Bazaar police, Chennai. In a bid to express their support, railway employees here staged an agitation and demanded justice. Divisional secretary J.M. Rafi said that instead of redressing grievances, such behaviour of a senior officer was condemnable. Unless and until, justice was delivered, the employees would intensify the stir, he warned.

V. Ramkumar, assistant divisional secretary, G. Ramasubbu, divisional president addressed the agitators.