Women stop Vande Bharat train in Jammu to protest against water crisis

Jammu, May 23 (PTI) Women stopped the Vande Bharat train on Thursday by staging a protest at a railway station here against water crisis compounded by heatwave conditions.

The demonstrators threatened to block all incoming and outgoing trains if the water crisis in their colony was not addressed urgently.

Scores of women and some children from the Jammu East Colony marched to the Jammu railway station to protest against the administration’s alleged failure to ensure a regular water supply.

The protesters, some of them carrying buckets, stopped the Vande Bharat train at the station for a brief period before the police and railway authorities intervened.

“There has been no regular water supply to our colony for the past four months. We have approached the authorities, but nothing has been done. We have to fetch water from long distances even for cooking and drinking,” said Sakshi, a protester.

Another protester claimed that life has become “unbearable” in the hot weather conditions.

Police and authorities assured the protesters they would address the water supply issue in their colony. “We will ensure that your demand for water supply is addressed soon,” a police official told them.

However, the agitators warned of further protests if their grievances remained unaddressed. “This agitation will be intensified if our demand is not met,” another protester Sonia said.