A ruckus broke out at the Badlapur railway station 70 km from Mumbai, recently, after women passengers travelling in a local train closed the doors of a ladies’ compartment from inside so as to keep new passengers out. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials intervened, but stern action would be taken against the women passengers concerned. This is surely an ‘escalation’ and a dangerous one at that, over fights breaking out over passengers not allowing others to board a compartment during rush hour.

Passengers in the north-end ladies’ compartment of a 7.19 am CSMT-bound fast local bolted the doors from inside before it reached the Badlapur railway station on the Central Railway route. Women commuters waiting on the platform could not get in, and several passengers were thumping on the door to get in. The doors opened only after police intervention.