Rajahmundry: The II metropolitan magistrate for railway, Vijayawada, has issued summons to 41 people, including Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham to appear before the court on March 2 in connection with the torching of Ratnachal Express on January 31, 2016. Railway Protection Force (RPF) outpost in Tuni had registered a case against them various sections of Railways Act in 2016.
According to RPF, the Kapu Garjana Maha Sabha — under the leadership of former minister Mudragada Padmanabham — had conducted a meeting insisting reservation in jobs for Kapu community. The event was attended by about one lakh supporters of Kapu Maha Sabha. It was announced in the meeting to hold blockade of road and rail traffic. A mob of more than 50,000 started blocking road and rail traffic by squatting on the track.
At about 3.20 pm on January 31, Ratnachal Express reached Tuni-Hamsavaram railway stations but the agitators blocked it by squatting on the track. They removed the loco pilot, assistant loco pilot and guard of the train and chased them away.
The violent mob started pelting stones at coaches. After passengers stepped out, the mob set coaches on fire. As many as 23 coaches were charred, and one SLR and loco was partially damaged.