Several organisations of the Kurmi community demanding that they be given Scheduled Tribe status on Wednesday blocked railway tracks at two stations in West Bengal even as blockade of the national highway number 6 in Paschim Medinipur district by them continued for the second day, an official said.
The members of the Kurmi community under the banner of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj and West Bengal Kurmi samaj started rail blockade at Khemasauli railway station in Purba Medinpur district and Kustaur railway station in Purulia district at 5 am this morning even as the blockade of the national highway no 6 at Khemashuli which started at 6 am on Tuesday continued.
"The blockade will continue until our demands are met," said Tapas Mahato, a leader of the of West Bengal Kurmi samaj said. The Kurmi are at present classified as OBCs. The South Eastern Railway cancelled 46 express and passenger trains and short terminated eight trains due to agitation and blockade at Khemasauli and Kustaur railway stations by members of the Kurmi community, a release said.
The 12814 Tatanagar-Howrah Steel Express, 12021 Howrah Barbil Jan Shatabdi Express, 12871 Howrah-Titlagarh Express, 13301 Dhanbad-Tatanagar Express, 18183 Tatanagar-Danapur Express, 03594 Asansol-Purulia MEMU Special, Adra-Purulia MEMU Special, 03595 Bokaro Steel City-Asansol MEMU Special, 03598 Asansol- Ranchi MEMU Special, 08650 Purulia-Adra MEMU Special, 18085 Kharagpur-Ranchi MEMU Express, 18116 Chakradharpur-Gomoh Express, 03592 Asansol-Bokaro Steel City MEMU Special were cancelled, the release said.
The 18011 Howrah-Adra-Chakradharpur Express will be short terminated at Adra (Chakradharpur portion), 12883 Santrahachi-Purulia Express will be short terminated at Adra, 12884 Purulia-Howrah Express will be short originated from Adra, 22862 Kantabanji-Titlagarh-Howrah Express will be short terminated at Tatanagar and short originated as Passenger Special from Tatanagar.
The 08173 Asansol-Tatanagar MEMU Special will be short terminated at Adra, 08174 Tatanagar-Asansol MEMU Special will be short originated from Adra, 18012 Chakradharpur-Adra- Howrah Express will be short originated from Adra, 12828 Purulia-Howrah Express will be short originated from Adra, the release said.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the road because of the blockade of the national highway no 6 at Khemasauli, triggering massive traffic snarls even on the other adjoining roads in Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts. Some of the vehicles were being diverted through Balibhasha in Jhargram to bypass the blockade, officials said.
