Pabna, Sept 30 (V7N) – A violent clash broke out on Monday night between passengers of the Dhaka-bound Ekata Express and residents near Saratnagar railway station in Bhangura upazila of Pabna district after the train was delayed due to earlier track damage.

The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. when agitated passengers, frustrated over the delay, attempted to assault the station master and vandalized parts of the station. As tensions escalated, passengers reportedly attacked local residents and even stormed a nearby mosque, injuring several people.

Witnesses said the disruption followed a derailment at Bhangura station on Sunday morning, where three compartments of the Panchagarh Express went off the tracks, damaging the rail line. Repair work was still underway Monday night, forcing the Ekata Express to remain halted at Saratnagar station after its scheduled arrival at 8:32 p.m.

According to station officials, passengers became unruly after a long wait. Some tried to attack station master Md. Tawhid Hossain, breaking furniture inside his office. As more locals gathered in protest, passengers turned violent. At one point, villagers used the mosque loudspeaker to call for reinforcements, and hundreds of residents rushed to confront the attackers. The clash left at least two local youths—Kamrul Hasan Rifat and Akash—injured, along with several passengers whose identities could not be confirmed.

Local sources reported that in retaliation, some villagers also boarded the train and assaulted a few passengers. Police from Bhangura Police Station quickly arrived at the scene, dispersed the crowd, and moved the train one kilometer away from the station to restore order. The train finally departed at 10:10 p.m.

Bhangura Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam confirmed the incident, saying, “We rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The train was later allowed to leave for its destination. Some people were injured in the clash between passengers and locals, but no formal complaints have been lodged so far.”

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