Youth Congress protest against railway fare hike near Charbagh station

Scores of Youth Congress activists staged a protest against the hike in railway fare and freight charges near the Charbagh station on Monday, during which police had to resort to lathicharge to stop them from obstructing train services.

The Youth Congress activists, led by outfit's national secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh affairs Srinivas B V, were stopped by police when they were proceeding towards the station. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the protesters.

Several Youth Congress activists, including outfit's Central Zone president Ankit Parihar, were injured in the lathicharge, media in-charge Avnish Shukla claimed, adding that some of the injured had to be hospitalised.

Srinivas B V alleged that women youth workers were beaten up mercilessly by the police.

The protesters burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "the anti-people decision of the central government".

Addressing the activists on the occasion, Parihar said the Congress during its 10-year rule kept inflation on check, but within ten days of coming to power the BJP government have forced the people to face price rise and inflation.

He said the Youth Congress would continue its protests against these decisions. He warned of intensified agitation is the Centre continued to take such "anti-people decisions".