Hyderabad:  The Railways maintained that the firing was necessitated as the protesters were allegedly advancing towards three locomotive engines in which around 10,000 litres of fuel was stocked. The Railways incurred a loss of Rs 20 crore due to the arson, they said.

“The agitators after pelting stones on police personnel after gathering unlawfully in the railway station premises started moving towards the loco engines to set it ablaze. The Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police cautioned them to disperse but they continue to move towards the loco engines. After warning shots in the air failed, the RPF personnel fired on the protesters,” a statement issued here said.

According to the Railway police, around 300 persons had entered the railway station premises. “They entered as general passengers and later started raising slogans,” they said. Soon groups of 200 to 300 persons started joining the persons and started damaging the coaches of trains and stalls. “The police tried the maximum to convince them, but they continued pelting stones,” officials said. The protesters damaged everything in sight, including food stalls, clocks, and surveillance cameras. After setting ablaze goods in the parcel service wing and automobiles, a few of them were seen walking towards the engines which had stocked fuel. Had they torched the tank or the train adjacent to it, there was a high chance of the fire spreading to the tank and the possibility of a massive explosion, which could have claimed several lives.

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