Railways write to Beverages Corporation to ‘down shutters of BEVCO outlets’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The railways have written to the Beverages Corporation against passengers getting drunk and unleashing violence on trains. The railways have sent a letter asking to down the shutters of BEVCO outlets. The letter was sent from the Thiruvananthapuram division of the railways, which has jurisdiction from Thiruvananthapuram to Thrissur.

The demand is to shift BEVCO outlets from within 500 meters of railway stations. The new move by the railways is in the wake of the incident where a girl was pushed off from the general compartment of the Kerala Express. The incident happened in Varkala on November 2. It was also found that the accused Suresh Kumar, who had boarded the train from Kottayam, was drunk. Sreekutty of Palode in Thiruvananthapuram, was seriously injured that day. The accused also tried to push her friend from the train.

The railways have concluded that BEVCO outlets operating near the railway station are leading to such situations. Meanwhile, the railway protection force in Thrissur has sent another letter to BEVCO, stating that it is a nuisance to see people crossing the platform to their outlet at Mulagunnathukavu in Thrissur, and consuming liquor in the vicinity of the railway station.