Jitendra Chaudhury demands inquiry against errant TTE

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) of the Tripura Assembly writes a letter to the Chairperson and CEO of the Indian Railway Board seeking his intervention to order for an inquiry in connection with the unbecoming behavior of a TTE with a female passenger in a passenger train .

 A video went viral on the social media platform where a TTE whose name was reported identified as  Pratap Manik was found physically assaulting a female passenger in a running train plying from Guwahati to Agartala on Wednesday night in the presence of other passengers.

Opposition leader Jitendra Chaudhury in his letter said that ‘being shocked by seeing a video clip in a social media platform where a TTE (as reported his name is Pratap Manik) is found to be physically assaulting a female passenger in a running train plying from Guwahati to Agartala on 15th May, 2024 night, I am being compelled to write this to draw your kind attention on this very unusual incident.’

According to the reports in 2(two) local dailies published from Agartala on 16th May 2024, a female passenger, who was travelling without a ticket, was subjected to verbal and physical abuse by a TTE. He (TTE) was accompanied by another Railway staff. The incident occurred in presence of many other passengers, which has resulted in sustaining injuries and trauma, said Chaudhury.

 “It is more shocking that, as reported, after arrival of the train at the Agartala station, while the humiliated passenger along with others has approached to the officer on duty of the Railway Police for justice, but astonishingly he has refused to take any cognizance on the incident,” alleged Chaudhury.

If a passenger is travelling without a ticket, the TTE definitely has the right to issue a ticket and collect the fare with penalty from the passenger, as per the rules. The passenger must pay the amount and accept the receipt. The TTE has no right to use force or coercion to extract the money from the passenger, nor can the passenger refuse or resist paying the amount. In this particular incident, the passenger was a young woman. But, the way how the TTE has behaved with the said passenger is something unacceptable and clearly a sort of committing crime against women, said Chaudhury.

Chaudhury urged the Chairperson and CEO of the Indian Railway Board to initiate a comprehensive inquiry into this incident and take appropriate disciplinary actions against the erring railway staff and the officer on duty of the Railway Police at Agartala Railway Station. The Indian Railways being a huge organization and pride of the nation must demonstrate a zero-tolerance policy against atrocities upon the women, said Chaudhury.