A still from a video shot by a commuter of the tracks after the agitation

No amount of cajoling and convincing by senior police officers or state BJP leader and minister Girish Mahajan and local leaders was able to pacify the crowd, which demanded that the accused be hanged immediately. Seething with anger, protesters even brought makeshift gallows to the station to “hang” the accused, leading the railways to temporarily switch off power to the overhead wires amid rain.

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Official Speak

A Central Railway spokesperson said, “Till 7 pm, approximately 24 mail express trains were diverted and the Koyna Express has been rerouted from near Badlapur back to Kalyan and then towards Karjat via Diva and Panvel. About 42 local trains were partially cancelled between Ambernath and Karjat and Khopoli. Services from CSMT to Ambernath and towards Kasara are running normally.

We have requested help from various state transportation agencies as we needed approximately 100 buses to cater to passengers travelling between Kalyan and Karjat. Till now, approximately 55 buses have already been pressed into service for the convenience of passengers.” Sources said a state transport bus was also damaged in the process.

Restoration
After the protesters were cleared at 5.50 pm by the police who resorted to a lathi-charge and the line was given an all-clear by 6.15 pm, the railways ran a light engine on up and down tracks to test the tracks and the first train to leave CSMT was the 7 pm Karjat local.

Earlier protests

Date: December 10, 2007
Duration: 12 hours
This stir was called along the Western Railway on Human Rights Day to protest against “deteriorating” suburban services on the Borivli-Virar section.

Date: January 2, 2015
Duration: 7 hours
A snag in a pantograph of a local train and related disruption stoked tempers at Diva Junction railway station, and hundreds of commuters pelted stones at trains, vandalised railway property and torched three vehicles, including a police van.

Date: August 12, 2016
Duration: 3 hours
A mob staged a protest at Badlapur station when a Karjat-bound train arrived later than the scheduled time. Passengers refused to let the train move, saying that disruptions have become a routine thing for CR.

10.10
Time on Tuesday morning when services were suspended

18.15
Time on Tuesday evening when services resumed