Security personnel resort to lathi-charge to control the situation at the Udhna Railway station on Sunday. (Express Photo)Udhna railway station in Gujarat’s Surat witnessed heavy crowding on Sunday morning as thousands of passengers, mostly migrant workers, gathered to board outstation trains at the start of summer vacations and amid a slowdown in industrial activity in the textile and diamond hub.Security personnel resorted to lathi-charge to control the situation after passengers breached barricades and broke queues in a bid to board trains to their home states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.In a statement, the Western Railway denied reports of a stampede at the railway station.“During the course of passenger movement for special train services, a brief disturbance occurred when a few unruly boys attempted to breach barricading arrangements. The situation was promptly brought under control by on-ground railway staff and police, ensuring no disruption to overall operations,” the statement said.At least six trains were scheduled to run to these states with stoppages in Udhna on Sunday morning. The passenger holding area and the platform had over 22,000 people who had spent Saturday night on the station premises to board trains, said Western Railway officials.An official at Udhna Railway station said on condition of anonymity, “Udhna Railway station witnessed an unexpected crowd starting Saturday afternoon. The situation worsened on Sunday around 11. 35 am, when a train from Udhna to Hasanpur (Bihar) was about to leave. The crowd went out of control, climbed on barricades, and in some places breached them as passengers did not want to miss the train. The security staff tried to control the situation, but the passengers were out of control. After great effort, more security staff from Surat city police were called in and the crowd was brought under control.”The official said they contacted the higher authorities in Mumbai and two long distance trains from Mumbai to UP were halted at Udhna station.Story continues below this ad“The Bandra Gorakhpur train reached Udhna Station at 1 pm and a large number of passengers boarded the train. Another train, from Valsad to Mau in UP, was halted at Udhna Railway station at 4.05 pm facilitating more passengers. Some passengers are waiting at the passenger holding area in Udhna. They will board trains by Monday morning,” an official said.A train to Jaynagar (Bihar) left the station at 1.30 am on Sunday, followed by another train to Madhubani (Bihar) at 5.30 am, one to Brahmapur (Odisha) at 1.10 am, another for Jaynagar (Bihar) at 8:35 a.m., one to Thane at 10.20 am and train to Hasanpur (UP) at 11.35 am.Western Railway Superintendent of Police Abhay Soni told The Indian Express, “The situation went out of control when a train stopped at Udhna Railway station. We brought the crowd under control. We will increase the number of security personnel at the station in the coming weekend.”The Udhna railway station has been witnessing a rush of passengers with a large number of migrant labourers from Surat textile and diamond industries starting returning home since mid-March following the LPG shortage triggered by the West Asia conflict. Several textile units in Surat have reduced working hours due to a rise in input costs and a possible fall in market demand. Now that schools are closing for the summer vacations, more migrant labourers are heading home, sources said.Story continues below this adOver 300 railway security personnel in addition to Gujarat police personnel have been deployed at the railway station.Soni said, “Two Deputy Superintendents of police, four police inspectors, and 150 police staff of GRP were deployed on Saturday to control the crowd. Similarly, around 150 RPF (Railway Protection Force) personnel have also been deployed at Udhna station.”The WR statement said that on Sunday “more than 23,000 passengers were facilitated to travel to their respective destinations from Udhna railway station”. It added that two more trains were scheduled to leave Sunday night and advised passengers “to refrain from acting upon unverified or misleading information”.Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs. Expertise Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs. Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including: Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives. Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress. Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli). Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Gujarat