Railway eviction drive sparks tension in Jamshedpur 

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, April 27: A railway-led anti-encroachment drive in Gwala Basti under Bagbera police station area turned volatile on Monday, forcing officials to withdraw after facing stiff resistance from local residents.
The operation, carried out by the Railway Engineering Department in the Tatanagar railway area, aimed to remove what authorities described as illegal construction on railway land.
The team had specifically arrived to demolish a house belonging to Megha Yadav, which the Railways claim was built on encroached property.
Officials stated that a notice had been served to the occupant nearly 15 days ago and that the action was backed by a court order.
However, as soon as the demolition attempt began, residents—both women and men—gathered at the site in large numbers and strongly opposed the move.
The situation quickly escalated, leading to heated arguments and eventually a scuffle between locals and railway personnel.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the Railway’s Senior Section Engineer was also manhandled during the chaos. Personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Bagbera police were present and attempted to bring the situation under control, but tensions remained high.
After nearly two hours of confrontation, the railway team was compelled to abandon the drive and retreat without carrying out the demolition. Railway authorities have indicated that the eviction operation will be relaunched soon with enhanced security arrangements. They are also preparing to lodge an FIR against those involved in obstructing government work and assaulting officials.
The incident has left the area tense, with police maintaining a close watch to prevent any further escalation.