COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's government deployed army troops at railroad stations as railway employees continued with their strike that paralyzed train services across the country for a second day Wednesday, a day after two passengers were killed while attempting to travel on a packed train. Tens of thousands of passengers have been greatly inconvenienced because of the strike. The strike was launched by the Sri Lanka Locomotive Operating Engineers Union, which includes engine drivers. Sri Lanka's train services are substandard, with poorly maintained compartments and tracks because of years of mismanagement and a lack of proper planning. Ravi Herath said armed troops were deployed “to provide security for the public, railway passengers, employees of the railway and also to protect the government property.”

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Persons: Bandula Gunawardena, S.R, Senanayake, Ravi Herath, ” Organizations: Passengers, Sri, Sri Lanka Locomotive Operating Engineers Union, Trade, Military Locations: COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Sri