UTTARPARA: In an act of extreme brutality, women commuters on a Burdwan-bound 'ladies special' local train from Howrah allegedly threw a 40-year-old man to his death near Hind Motor station on Tuesday evening. A woman constable of Railway Protection Force (RPF), on duty in the compartment, was accused by some passengers of aiding the women passengers.

Locals, led by Dilip Yadav, chairman of the Trinamool Congress-run Uttarpara-Kotrung Municipality squatted on the tracks at Hind Motor station after the incident, demanding compensation for the family of the victim and punishment for the accused. Thousands of passengers were stranded at Howrah Station as the blockade continued well into the night.

Due to the ongoing Jagaddhatri Puja festivities at Chandernagore, there was a heavy rush of passengers at Howrah on Tuesday evening. This added to the normal evening peak rush.

Dipu Sharma, a resident of Hind Motor, took the risk of boarding the 37201 Burdwan local meant only for women.

According to some passengers, an altercation started soon after Sharma boarded the train. However, he could not get off at Howrah as the train had already started. The altercation between a group of women standing near the gate, including the RPF constable, and the man continued as the train crossed the Liluah, Belur, Bally and Uttarpara stations.

"The man apologized and offered to get off the train at Liluah but the women had surrounded him. They went on abusing him and refused to let him get off at any of the stations. Finally, when he realized that Hind Motor was approaching, Sharma made a dash towards the door. There was resistance from the women and a scuffle ensued near the door. Sharma attempted to grab the handle but missed and fell off the running train," said Minu Das, who was in the compartment.

The incident occurred at 7.50 pm. When the train stopped at Hind Motor less than a minute later, some women who had not participated in the violence got off and raised an alarm. Locals gathered and stopped the train. Within minutes, a strong mob had gathered and before long, scores of people had gathered. They blocked the tracks and pelted stones at passing trains. At one point of time, the RPF attempted a lathi-chrge but this aggravated the situation further. Sharma was picked up from the tracks and taken to Uttarpara State General Hospital where he died of serious head injuries.

"We have received a complaint against a woman constable and taken her into custody. The man is being probed," an Eastern Railway spokesperson said.

Yadav contended that authorities may have arrested or fined Sharma for boarding a women-only train but there was no reason to throw him out. "The railways will have to compensate his family or we shall hold agitations again from Wednesday," he warned.

