Maharashtra Shiv Sena MLA Holds Up Train For An Hour Because He Didn't Get A Seat Of His Choice

A Shiv Sena MLA from Nanded held up more than 2,000 passengers on the Devgiri Express at CST on Wednesday night in a tantrum over a side berth that lasted for 56 minutes.

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The MLA, Hemant Patil, and an aide refused to accept the 'side' seats 35 and 36 in the 2nd AC coach and got the group accompanying them to keep pulling the chain, ensuring it didn't move out of the platform. The train, that was supposed to leave at 9.10 pm, moved out of CST only at 9.57 pm, but was forced to halt near Masjid station. From there, the train finally left at 10.06 pm. The MLA's `situation' remained unresolved. The ruckus also delayed two other long-distance trains - the CST-Mangalore Express, and the Siddheshwar Express (to Solapur) by more than 15 minutes. Four fast local trains were also held up causing a crowd of more than 1,000 people at the platforms.

General manager, Central Railway, Sunil Kumar, has said he will institute an inquiry into the incident."The chain of the Devgiri Express was pulled by some passengers, delaying the train for over an hour. We will inquire into what exactly transpired."

Sena spokesperson and legislator Neelam Gorhe declined to comment on the incident, saying, "Whatever Patil may have done was in his personal capacity. How can I react to this as a party spokesperson?" Aslam Shaikh, from Aurangabad, a passenger on the train, said, "If a regular passenger had made such a scene, he would have been hauled off to jail. Why are elected representatives allowed to get away with such behaviour?" Another passenger, Suhas Patil, from Nanded, said, "Is there no law for these people? Are all laws only for the common man?" As the assembly session ended , the special 2nd AC coach had been added to the packed Devgiri Express, to accommodate the VIPs departing for their respective constituencies.