Lonavala-Railway TC booked for raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan

Lonavala / Pune : Np News Network-There was tension in tourist town of Lonavala after a Railways Ticket Collector (TC) allegedly shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ during a condolence meeting.

Pune rural police’s Lonavala police station has booked the Upendra Kumar Virbahadar Singh (39), a native of Patna in Bihar, who lived at Lonavala. He has been charged for offence under section 153a (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code. The Vadgaon Maval court remanded him to police custody till April 18.

According to police, people from various organisations had gathered at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk to protest against killing of CRPF personnel on Thursday in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Upendra Kumar, who had come to market, suddenly started shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ . So there was a tension in the area. The BJP, MNS party members rushed to the police station and demanded strict action against Upendra Kumar.

Police Inspector B R Patil assured of action. Soon an FIR was registered and he was produced before the court. Police suspect that Upendra Kumar is not mentally sound as he is behaving strangely. In the past, he has been accused of often shouting at passengers and singing songs on the railway station premises.

Suspension from railways
Railway sources said that after the arrest of Upendra Kumar, a junior ticket collector at Lonavala railway station, the Railway Divisional Commercial Manager Panwar suspended him from the service.