Protesters Block Railway Track

ANANTNAG: Police used force to evict a large group of protesters who had blocked the railway track near here Wednesday.
Villagers from Chidhama in this south Kashmir district blocked the railway track protesting dilapidated road condition in the area. The villagers were protesting against railway authorities who they said had promised to rebuild their road after it was damaged due to the construction of the railway bridge there years back.
The railway authorities at the time of the construction had assured the villagers that they would macadamize the road themselves. However after repeated reminders railways failed to fulfil their promise prompting villagers to resort to blockade today.
Reports said that hundreds of villagers assembled near the railway station this afternoon and blocked the track for hours together halting the train for nearly four hours.
As the protesting villagers refused to move from the track police resorted to lathicharge triggering clashes between the two. The protesters angered over the police action threw stones at police who lobbed scores of tear smoke shells, reports said.
Police said four protesters and three policemen were injured during the clashes.
Later additional deputy development commissioner, Anantnag, Bashir Ahmad Khan visited the spot and assured the protesters of getting their problems solved.
It was on the assurances of ADC that the protesters lifted the blockade and dispersed.

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