Balasore, Odisha: A man has been arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) for allegedly forcing train passengers to chant slogans and show their Aadhaar cards at the Balasore railway station in Odisha. The incident occurred on Sunday night at the station's waiting hall, where several passengers, many of whom were migrant workers, were resting.
According to police reports, a group of men, including the accused, woke up the sleeping passengers and demanded to see their Aadhaar cards. They then allegedly forced the passengers to chant "Jai Shri Ram," creating a tense and fearful environment.
A video purportedly showing the incident surfaced on social media, depicting individuals harassing passengers, demanding identity documents, and coercing them to chant slogans. However, the authenticity of the video has not been independently verified. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel responded to the scene and detained one of the accused, later handing him over to the GRP for further investigation.
The arrested individual has been identified as Sagar Jena, a resident of Gandarda village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Sadar police station. Police have identified other individuals involved in the incident and are currently working to apprehend them. A case has been registered under Sections 126, 196, 115(2), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation is ongoing. These sections relate to wrongful restraint, acts promoting enmity between groups, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation.
The incident has sparked political reactions, with Bhakta Charan Das, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president, condemning the act and alleging that such incidents are a result of divisive politics. In a post on social media platform X, Das asserted that Odisha would not tolerate the intimidation or harassment of migrant workers and demanded strict action against those involved.
Authorities have stated that law and order at the Balasore railway station is currently under control, and additional security measures have been implemented.
This incident follows a previous event in Sambalpur district on December 24, where a Bengali migrant worker from West Bengal was allegedly assaulted and later died. This series of events has heightened concerns about the safety and treatment of migrant workers in Odisha.
