Chinese woman fined for delaying high-speed train departure

HEFEI, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- A woman was fined 2,000 yuan (around 300 U.S. dollars) for "obstructing the operation of train service" in east China's Anhui Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

According to the Sina Weibo account of Anhui's Railway Police, a woman surnamed Luo tried to stop a high-speed train from leaving by blocking its door with her body on Friday.

Luo claimed that she had to wait for her husband and refused to step aside as conductors tried to make her move.

The incident happened in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, when the G1747 train was set to leave for Guangzhou in Guangdong Province.

Though Luo's husband successfully boarded the train, her behavior caused the delay of the train departure and has sparked an outcry in China after a video clip went viral online.

Luo, a teacher at a primary school in Luyang District, was also suspended from her job Tuesday.

Some web users criticized the woman's disrespect for the rules, while others questioned the station staff's decision to let the family on board.

A commentary published by the People's Daily said that if someone breaks the rules, law enforcement must be strict, or else it is an act of connivance that will damage the public interest. Enditem