Free train ride as no one at counter

Over 1,000 people from the island town of Rameswaram got a free ride on a Madurai-bound train on Wednesday as there was no staff to issue tickets at the railway station, PTI reports from Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu).

The employee at the ticket counter did not report for duty as he was indisposed, following which the passengers boarded the Rameswaram-Madurai passenger train without tickets, a railway official here said.

"As there was no one available at the counter till the train started moving, the passengers had to rush and catch the train at 5.30 am," he said.

A complaint has been sent to the divisional railway manager of Madurai in this connection, the official said.