Train launch sparking controversy: New Dhanbad-Mumbai train launched; mayor and MLA skip event amid allegations of official interference | Ranchi News

A new direct train route connecting Dhanbad to Mumbai was inaugurated, inciting a political uproar. Reports surfaced that the local mayor and his MLA spouse were unceremoniously excluded from the festivities. Although initially on the guest list, their names mysteriously vanished from promotional materials, with officials attributing the omission to fears of overcrowding.

Dhanbad: MP Dulu Mahto on Monday late night flagged off a new weekly train connecting Dhanbad to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus railway station in Mumbai. However, a controversy erupted after the event as Dhanbad mayor Sanjeev Singh and his wife, Jharia MLA Ragini Singh, skipped the programme.The train, which chugged off from platform number 7 a little after 11 pm, became the first direct train link between Dhanbad and Mumbai. Sanjeev and Ragini, sources said, were formally invited on April 3. However, their names were removed from the posters just a day before the programme.Sanjeev on Tuesday said railway officials called him two hours before the event and urged him not to attend. “No clear reason was provided despite repeated queries. The officials appeared evasive,” he said. He further claimed that railway officials visited his home on Tuesday and apologised, citing concerns over possible overcrowding at the event. Ragini, on the other hand, wrote to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, calling the incident an insult to elected representatives. In her letter, she questioned the functioning of the Dhanbad railway division and demanded a high-level inquiry into the episode.Railway officials remained silent on the issue, and Dhanbad divisional railway manager Akhilesh Mishra could not be contacted for comments.