Secunderabad: Property damage pegged at Rs 7 crore

Secunderabad: As the Secunderabad Railway Station was completely vandalised by the agitators protesting against the Union government's Agnipath scheme, an estimated property worth at least Rs 7 crore was damaged in the violence on Friday.

According to officials, protestors set ablaze three trains, East Coast was severely affected and a parcel coach was burnt. Stationary bogies of Rajkot Express and Ajanta Express bogies were also set ablaze. Electronic items like computers, CCTV cameras, lights, fans were damaged. Food and convenience stalls on all the platforms were also looted and set on fire.

Speaking to the media, Abhay Kumar Gupta, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Secunderabad Division, South Central Railway (SCR), said, "It was a sudden mishap at the station. A few protestors entered the station in the morning and destroyed the entire property of the station. Around Rs 7 crore worth property has been damaged. Three coaches have been burned and locomotives have been damaged.

Tight security has been deployed in all the railway stations across SCR. No passengers were injured and they were safely vacated from the station. Trains will be restored at the station in the evening after 7 pm and repairs have already begun on the damaged signaling system.

Around18 express trains are been cancelled, nine passenger trains, 65 MMTS and 15 trains are partially cancelled and eight trains are been diverted. After inception, very soon we will restore the loss. As per the rule parcel damaged will be compensated and passengers' tickets will be refunded.