Kurmi stir for ST tag affects railway services in three eastern states

Kolkata/Baripada/Ranchi: Members of the Kurmi community on Tuesday blocked railway tracks for several hours in various parts of eastern India demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, affecting train services in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.

Their agitation, also to press for inclusion of Kurmali language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution, continued for over 18 hours in two stations - Khemasuli and Kustaur under the South Eastern Railway (SER).

However, the blockade was lifted in several other stations at different times during the day, a railway official said.

The agitation caused cancellations, diversions and short termination of several express and passenger trains.

Train services of SER were affected due to blockades at Kustaur and Nimdih stations in Adra division, Khemasuli and Bhanjpur stations in Kharagpur division and Aunlajori station in Chakradharpur division since 4 AM. The blockades were withdrawn at most stations during the day, but continued at Khemasuli and Kustaur stations in West Bengal, as per reports till 10 pm, the SER official said.

The SER has cancelled 24 trains, diverted 20 and short terminated or short originated 14 other trains, apart from rescheduling some others, he said. Among the trains that were cancelled are 12814/12813 Tatanagar-Howrah-Tatanagar Steel Express, 12021/12022 Howrah-Barbil-Howrah Janshatabdi Express, 22861 Howrah-Titlagarh-Kantabhanji Ispat Express, 13512/13511 Asansol-Tatanagar-Asansol Express, 18183 Tatanagar-Danapur Express and 18033/18034 Howrah-Ghatsila-Howrah Express, he said. The SER also cancelled 18615 Howrah-Hatia Kriya Yoga Express and 22906 Shalimar - Okha Express for the day. Owing to the agitation, the SER has diverted 13288 Rajendranagar-Durg Express, 18011 Howrah-Chakradharpur Express, 12262 Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Duronto Express, 12130 Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express, 22905 Porbandar-Shalimar Express, 12801 Puri-New Delhi Express, 12809 Mumbai CSMT Howrah Mail.

Trains that were diverted also include 15930 New Tinsukia-Tambaram Express, 18029 Mumbai LTT-Shalimar Express, 12833 Ahmedabad-Howrah Express, 12859 Mumbai CSMT-Howrah Express and 22823 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Express, the SER official added. Agitators also blocked a national highway in West Bengal's Purulia, a state government official said.

In neighbouring Odisha, hundreds of men, women and children belonging to the community staged rail roko in Mayurbhanj district. Agitators blocked railway tracks at Bhanjpur station in Baripada town, Anlajodi station in Rairangpur and Betnoti.

As a result of the stir, Bangriposi-Bhubaneswar Superfast Express and Baripada-Shalimar Similipal Express remained halted at Bhanjpur for three hours, while the Tatanagar-Badampahar DEMU and Bangriposi-Rupsa DEMU remained halted at Anlajodi and Betnoti stations respectively. However, agitation in Odisha was withdrawn after the local administration assured protesters that their grievances would be taken to the authorities at the highest level.