Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday beat the Maveli Express in speed and reached Cliff House by car from Pettah railway station where it was held up for some 30 minutes. He was supposed to alight at Thiruvananthapuram Central station where his Number 1 state car, escort and gunman were waiting.
But an impatient Chandy called PRD Minister K. C. Joseph’s car to the Pettah station and left in it along with his gunman K. P. Pradeep Kumar and the minister.
They were returning to Thiruvananthapuram from electioneering at Malappuram. It is alleged that there was a security lapse as well as negligence by the railway authorities, though Mr Manoj Bajpai, Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Manager, denied it.
Mr Chandy had a busy day ahead with cabinet meeting and had given appointments to many visitors at Cliff House from the morning itself hoping that he would reach there by 7 a.m. Mr Pradeep Kumar told DC that their bogie was on the front side forcing them to walk from one side of the platform to the rear side.
“There were about 10 railway police personnel inside the train. Though they saw us alighting from the train at Pettah station, they didn’t budge. The railway authorities were keen to see that the Maveli Express reaches the first platform. When we were impatiently waiting at Pettah station, we saw another train leaving in the opposite direction,” said Pradeep Kumar who works in the rank of Sub- Inspector.
There is a protocol that if the CM travels by train, it has to come to the first platform though he has never demanded it.
But Mr Bajpayee told DC that all the five platforms in Thiruvananthapuram Central were full which caused the delay of Maveli Express. By the time the Maveli Express arrived at Central station, Mr Chandy had reached Cliff House.
