Mumbai railway: 2 arrested, 11 cops injured; job aspirants protest; updates

A few hundred railway job-seekers caught Central Railway (CR) by surprise, resulting in a virtual paralysis of Mumbai's lifeline, the suburban train service, for over three hours here on Tuesday morning. The agitation also turned violent as some protesters pelted stones, leading to a police baton charge to disperse them.

The morning peak hour suburban and long-distance train services were severely disrupted as hundreds of protesters squatted on the railway tracks between Matunga and Dadar on the CR to press for their demands pertaining to railway apprentices' recruitment.

Rattled by the sudden crisis, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal held emergency meetings and announced that 20 percent posts in railway establishments are already reserved for those who have cleared the All India Railway Act Apprentice Exams.

"This has been done as per the various judgements by the Supreme Court from time to time. Applicants who completed the apprenticeship course have also been given an age relaxation equal to the period of apprenticeship," he announced in New Delhi.

Goyal added the Indian Railways was in the midst of a massive recruitment exercise and had "come out with a policy to ensure a fair, transparent and competitive recruitment process that follows the law and the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court".