23-year-old Barkha Menghani says every commuter who is harassed on local trains should stand up and bring the bullies to book.Bullying in local trains, something most people tend to ignore or shrug off, has come into focus with a gutsy executive getting seven women booked for harassment on Tuesday.Barkha Menghani, 23, who was being harassed almost every day for close to a month by a bunch of women on the 8.10 am local from Ambernath to CST, put her foot down despite an initial tepid response from authorities. Menghani, who works in BKC, takes a train from Ulhasnagar to Ambernath and from there another train to Kurla.On Monday, one of the women from the gang sat on her lap, after which the others started taunting her and clicking photos on their mobile phones. Menghani first tried calling the Government Railway Police’s helpline number. Though there was no response, she eventually managed to reach Alok Bohra, the Senior Divisional Security Commissioner of the Railway Protection Force.Bohra then arranged for RPF lady constables in civilian clothes to accompany Menghani the next day. When the women started abusing and harassing the constables also, taking them for civilian commuters, the RPF women took them off the train at Ambernath and booked them for creating nuisance and preventing a passenger from boarding a train. The magistrate fined the women Rs 1,000 each and made them to sit in the court till 6 pm.Menghani now hopes other women follow her lead and stand up to bullying on trains. “I would advice every woman who faces this problem to raise their voice and lodge formal complaints,” said Menghani. “It might take time and even mean being late for work, but it will teach a lesson to those who trouble others for no reason. They will not dare do it again.”To prove her point, Menghani, who had to go to the court to testify against the bullies, said her bosses were very supportive of her and even encouraged her to take the day off. Menghani said she is not afraid to face the women the next time. “I am not afraid of them. I will stick to my routine. Ihave also filed a complaint with the GRP to prevent any future harassment,” she said.Local mafiaBullies on local trains are usually a close group of people who know each other. They largely fall under three groups: Those who ‘reserve’ seats for their friends, those who form a group and play games, and those who crowd the entrances and prevent passengers from either boarding or getting off.Mengani’s bullies were of the first kind. The gang first gave her a verbal warning to avoid the middle women’s coach. When she refused to comply, she was subjected to abuse, first verbal and then physical. As she persisted, the abuse became a daily ritual.“I ignored them,” said Menghani. “But when the woman sat on my lap, something snapped inside me.”During rush hour, gangs crowd the footboards and block people from entering. Groups on Churchgate-bound trains from Virar do not let commuters from Borivali station board the train. The situation is similar at Badlapur, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar and Kalyan stations. Then there are groups that form a circle and play cards, not allowing commuters to stand comfortably.Lauding Menghani’s action, Bohra told Mirror: “If we get any such complaints we will immediately send our staff to check. If it is true, we will take action against the troublemakers. Any commuter can lodge a complaint on the RPF or GRP helplines.”