Mamata orders probe into Bihar violence

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today ordered a departmental inquiry into the cancellation of stoppage of some trains at a station in Bihar, which sparked violent protests, and said halting of trains there will continue like in the past.

"As a Railway Minister I am not in favour of withdrawing any facility and it has been done locally without the consent of my ministry," she told reporters.

Banerjee said she had talked to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and clarified that neither she nor the Railway Ministry had issued any instruction on the issue of withdrawal of the halts.

She said if any railway official was found involved, action will be taken against him.

Banerjee condemned the violent incidents at Khusrupur, 32 km  from Patna, where the railway station building was ransacked and several bogies of some trains were torched.