Pro-Kannada stir delays trains

Pro-Kannada stir delays trains
Monday January 28 2008 07:08 IST

ENS

Passengers waiting at the City Railway station as pro
Kannada activists stage ‘rail roko’ demanding classical language status for Kannada and appointments for Kannadigas in Railways, in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: Rail services in the State were affected on Sunday, due to agitations by organisations protesting the anti-Karnataka stance of the Centre.

They demanded higher representation to locals in railways and classical status to Kannada, Railway police said. Protests disrupted both outbound and inbound rail traffic in Bangalore City and Cantonment stations.

About 1000 activists attempted to stop trains and staged a protest at platform number one of the City station, police said. They tried to block the Prashanti Express leaving for Hyderabad from Bangalore City Railway Station, but were whisked away by the Railway police.

Nearly 150 activists were arrested in the city and later released, police said. Agitations were also held at Doddaballapur.