The train movement stopped yesterday evening for six hours in Dakahlia due to a strike by the drivers, technicians and workers in protest against the killing of a mechanic. They accused policeman Ismail Saleh of beating him to death. Major General Mohammed Tolba, director of Dakahlia Security Directorate, received a report on the death of Al-Sayeed Al-Said Ali, 50, who was working on train No. 516 heading to Alexandria.
The workers staged a strike and prevented trains from moving. Major General Samir Issa, Assistant Director of Dakahlia Security Directorate, and a number of security leaders moved to the scene in an attempt to calm the workers and disperse the demonstration.
The angry drivers and technicians prevented train No. 268 from moving on time at 7:20 am. After that, the movement of all trains stopped. And the workers of Al-Dakahlia Station joined the strike. Al-Said Al-Ezabi, chairman of the workers league, said Ali has worked for the station for 25 years. He was one of the most efficient technicians. Ezabi suspected collusion on the part of the railway police who persecute the workers.
Ahmed Sabri, a conductor, said he saw the policeman beating Ali, and when driver Ghanem Ahmed tried to contain the situation, he was also beaten. After that, a number of workers tried to intervene, but the policeman insulted them all.
Ghad Al-Said, a carpenter, said: "The policeman beat Ali and when Major Mohammad al-Imbaby, head of the railway investigation, sent for him, he claimed that Ali prevented him from performing his work. After that, Ali fell unconscious, and when we took him to the hospital in a taxi, we discovered that he died."
Prosecutors Essam Issa, Mustafa Khattab and Mohamed Abdullah moved to the scene and promised the workers to fairly investigate the accident and the body to know the cause of death.
Therefore, the workers broke up the sit-in at one a.m. The initial inspection showed that there are no visible injuries, while doctors at Mansoura International Hospital said the cause of death could be known only by the forensics.
The prosecutors ordered that the policeman be detained for four days pending investigation. And Mansoura Prosecution heard the testimonies of four witnesses.
