Dev Meena fined Rs 2,000 at Panvel railway station for carrying pole vault gear

Indian national record holder in men’s pole vault Dev Meena recently found himself at the centre of a disturbing incident at Panvel railway station in Mumbai.

Returning from the All India Inter-University Championships, Dev and his coach were stopped by a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) for carrying their pole vault equipment on a train.

What should have been a routine transit stop turned into nearly five hours of confrontation, confusion and alleged harassment, forcing the athletes to miss their train and eventually pay a fine to continue their journey.

A video of the incident later went viral, drawing attention to the systemic difficulties athletes face while travelling with specialised equipment in India.

Speaking about the incident to The Bridge, Meena explained how it unfolded.

"What happened was that we had gotten off the train because we had to change trains at Panvel. Our train was till platform 1. A senior TT came while checking tickets and saw the poles. He told the other TT not to let these poles pass and said a challan should be issued."

Meena said he and his coach had briefly stepped out to get food after an overnight journey, while junior athletes remained seated.

"When we came back, the senior TT said there would be an ₹8,000 fine. We asked for what reason, and he said we can’t carry sports equipment like this. He told us to put it in the luggage compartment."

Why luggage compartment is not an option

For pole vaulters, that suggestion was not practical.

"You know how the luggage compartment works. If we put it there, there’s no guarantee when it will arrive or whether it will arrive safely. These are fibre glass poles. Even a small cut can break them. That’s why we keep them with us."

As discussions dragged on, the athletes missed their scheduled train. Another departure was only available at 7 pm.

"We kept trying to convince them, but he kept saying you’ll have to pay the fine. Finally, he settled for ₹2,000. We paid and left. But , this happens every time."

Meena said the decision to record and upload the video was deliberate.

"That’s why we made this video and uploaded it, so people can see how much an athlete, an international athlete, a national record holder, has to face. Imagine the situation of junior athletes."

What disturbed him most was the lack of transparency and the way authority was used.

"We requested them a lot. He said he was afraid of higher authorities. We asked for their number so we could talk to them. He refused. He wouldn’t even tell us the name of the officer."

According to Meena, the interaction crossed into harassment when no explanation was entertained.

"They weren’t listening to anything. They were talking rudely to our coach. Their attention was only on the money."

He also questioned the legitimacy of the fine itself.

"They charged us saying the weight was 80 kg. One pole weighs about 2 kg. Even with 10 poles, it’s 20 kg. They increased the weight and charged the fine based on that.”

Explaining how athletes usually manage such travel, Meena said they take precautions to avoid inconvenience to others.

"When we travel by train, we keep the poles in the sleeper compartment. Our ticket is for third AC. We tie the poles above so no passenger has any problem. There is absolutely no problem for anyone."

Not a one-off incident

During the five-hour wait at Panvel, Meena said the athletes felt resigned rather than shocked.

"Everyone said, ‘This happens every time.’ Sometimes a ticket collector stops us, sometimes someone asks us to remove the poles. We face this regularly, but this time we felt it was important to highlight it."

He recalled previous struggles as well.

"Once I went to Kochi to compete, where I set a national record. Even then, we had to struggle. Ticket collectors abuse us, misbehave with coaches."

For Meena, the issue goes beyond one incident.

"This problem exists everywhere. Airlines don’t allow poles. Railways don’t allow them either. If you want medals and athletes also have to face this, how is it possible?"

His demand is simple.

"Some rule should be implemented so that athletes can carry their sports equipment without difficulty. That’s all I want."

While the athletics federation reached out, Meena said there has been no response from railway authorities so far.

"The federation supports us, but from the railways, nothing has come yet."

Despite the ordeal, Meena remains focused on his sporting goals. With the Asian Games approaching, his calendar is packed ahead of the Asian Games 2026.

"I will participate in as many international competitions as possible. There are competitions planned in March, two in Taiwan and one in Busan. Once my coach returns from Cuba, we’ll finalise everything."

But his concern remains firmly with the next generation.

"We are seniors, so we managed somehow. But junior girls or boys who go for the first time, we don’t want them to face these problems. New athletes should come thinking they can do well for India, not worrying about how they’ll carry their equipment," he concluded.