The ongoing fracas between Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) and the commercial department continues as yet another railway official was allegedly manhandled by 30 SRMU office-bearers Tiruchirapalli.
SRMU office-bearers allegedly manhandled senior divisional commercial manager of Tiruchirapalli division Arun Thomas in his chamber on Wednesday. Thomas lodged a complaint with the Cantonment police station.
According to the complaint, SRMU office-bearers led by FX Isac Johnson, V Thamaraiselvan, B Jayachandran, Nagaraj, Santhi Thangam, Murugan, Ravanadoss, MA Martin, Syed Thajudeen Aslam and P Palanivel barged into his chamber around 12pm and began to abuse him. They even locked the room and did not allow him to go out, even as other officials came to his rescue.
Palanivel is the divisional secretary of SRMU. Like SRMU general secretary N Kanniah, Palanivel too is no longer a railway employee.
SRMU had been upset with the transfer orders issued for travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) and other commercial staff in the last few months. Sources within the railway establishment said Thomas was a straightforward and strict officer, who carried out the transfer orders as per the instructions of chief commercial manager Ajeet Saxena.
SRMU did not take it well. TOI has reviewed posters and banners erected by SRMU, where commercial department of Tiruchirapalli has been portrayed as crocodiles and the mythical character Ravanan, who is out to destroy the commercial staff. These were hung at prominent places in railway stations to humiliate the officers.
Denying all allegations of abuse by SRMU office-bearers, Palanivel told TOI that Thomas, despite being a young officer "was behaving in a high-handed manner" with railway employees. "We have also filed a counter-complaint against him as he misbehaved with us and abused us," Palanivel claimed.
This tactic is similar to the one followed by SRMU to target strict officers of the commercial department. Early this year, a group of seven women staff gheraoed Saxena in his chamber in Chennai and shouted slogans, later alleging that he misbehaved with them. Despite denying that they had any hand in it, SRMU erected banners portraying Saxena as a gun-toting officer who misbehaved with lady staff in Chennai Central station.
Later, six of the seven staff accepted in a written submission that the complaint filed against Saxena was false and motivated by SRMU office-bearers.
In November last year, senior DCM of Chennai division B Ravichander was targeted in a similar manner by SRMU members, who gheraoed him in his room, abused him and recorded a video which was circulated among railway staff. Ravichander was also instrumental in setting things right in the commercial department by issuing periodic transfers.
SRMU allegedly arm-twisted Southern Railway in issuing a transfer order for Ravichander, but it was cancelled by Saxena after he took over as CCM.
SRMU office-bearers allegedly manhandled senior divisional commercial manager of Tiruchirapalli division Arun Thomas in his chamber on Wednesday. Thomas lodged a complaint with the Cantonment police station.
According to the complaint, SRMU office-bearers led by FX Isac Johnson, V Thamaraiselvan, B Jayachandran, Nagaraj, Santhi Thangam, Murugan, Ravanadoss, MA Martin, Syed Thajudeen Aslam and P Palanivel barged into his chamber around 12pm and began to abuse him. They even locked the room and did not allow him to go out, even as other officials came to his rescue.
Palanivel is the divisional secretary of SRMU. Like SRMU general secretary N Kanniah, Palanivel too is no longer a railway employee.
SRMU had been upset with the transfer orders issued for travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) and other commercial staff in the last few months. Sources within the railway establishment said Thomas was a straightforward and strict officer, who carried out the transfer orders as per the instructions of chief commercial manager Ajeet Saxena.
SRMU did not take it well. TOI has reviewed posters and banners erected by SRMU, where commercial department of Tiruchirapalli has been portrayed as crocodiles and the mythical character Ravanan, who is out to destroy the commercial staff. These were hung at prominent places in railway stations to humiliate the officers.
Denying all allegations of abuse by SRMU office-bearers, Palanivel told TOI that Thomas, despite being a young officer "was behaving in a high-handed manner" with railway employees. "We have also filed a counter-complaint against him as he misbehaved with us and abused us," Palanivel claimed.
This tactic is similar to the one followed by SRMU to target strict officers of the commercial department. Early this year, a group of seven women staff gheraoed Saxena in his chamber in Chennai and shouted slogans, later alleging that he misbehaved with them. Despite denying that they had any hand in it, SRMU erected banners portraying Saxena as a gun-toting officer who misbehaved with lady staff in Chennai Central station.
Later, six of the seven staff accepted in a written submission that the complaint filed against Saxena was false and motivated by SRMU office-bearers.
In November last year, senior DCM of Chennai division B Ravichander was targeted in a similar manner by SRMU members, who gheraoed him in his room, abused him and recorded a video which was circulated among railway staff. Ravichander was also instrumental in setting things right in the commercial department by issuing periodic transfers.
SRMU allegedly arm-twisted Southern Railway in issuing a transfer order for Ravichander, but it was cancelled by Saxena after he took over as CCM.