Inter-divisional transfer orders have also been issued to eight more employees at the coach care centre in the same case. “The act of stopping trains is a crime. Employees’ involvement in train obstruction is taken seriously, but employees with politicial backing get away with it because the government railway police, who ought to book cases, are managed by the state government,” said a senior railway officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Incidentally, a few lucky ones like SRMU vice-president Stephen were let off even though he was involved in disrupting rail movement for three hours in Chennai division. Sometime last year, while protesting against transfer orders issued by senior divisional signal and telecom engineer, Stephen, had severed power supply to the RRI (route relay interlinking) cabin, the nerve centre of railway network. Originally a grave charge, it was reduced to minor offence following SRMU general secretary N Kanniah’s personal intervention and Stephen was handed out a brief suspension before being transferred to Tambaram last year.

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