India's national record holder in pole vault, Dev Kumar Meena, has dismissed the Railways' clarification over the Panvel station ordeal, a day after he and his coach were allegedly forced to deboard a train for carrying sports equipment.
Central Railway officials denied the allegations and said the athletes were not deboarded. They claimed the players were only advised to book the equipment in the luggage section as its size exceeded permissible dimensions for passenger coaches.
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"We respect sportspersons. We had requested them to book the pole in the luggage section from Panvel, as its dimensions were larger than the permitted limit and could inconvenience other passengers. There was no intention to hurt the sentiments of any player," Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Swapnil Nila said.
In a detailed statement, the Railways said that on January 17, 2026, pole vault pipes carried by passengers at Panvel stati
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