Students stranded, train services affected due to Adivasi agitation
Kolkata: Train services in South Eastern Railway's (SER) Kharagpur division were affected from Monday morning due to a blockade put up by an umbrella organisation of the Adivasis, who demands official recognition of their language.
Around 72 students accompanied by 12 teachers of Ballygunge Siksha Sadan are reportedly stuck since afternoon while on their way to the city. The group had gone on an educational tour.
Railway Recruitment Board Examination has also been cancelled.
A spokesperson of SER said members of Bharat Jakat Majhi Marwa squatted on tracks at several stations such as Balichak, Nekusini, Salboni, Chattna and Khamasuli affecting train movement. A number of mail, express and local trains were detained at various stations of Kharagpur-Howrah, Kharagpur-Tatanagar, Kharagpur-Bhadrak and Kharagpur-Adra sections.
A good number of trains were cancelled due to the agitation that included Howrah-Hyderabad East Coast Express, Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Duranto Express, Howrah-Yesvantpur AC Express, Shalimar- LTT Express, Santragachi-Puducherry Special, Santragachi-Chennai Central Antyodaya Express, Howrah-Puri Sri Jaganath Express, Shalimar-Bhanjpur Express.
The agitators also blocked roads at different places of Salboni, Khemasuli, Nekusini and Khirpai in West Midnapore district, said Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria.
It may be mentioned that all the cancelled trains were scheduled on Monday. Three of the express trains were short terminated. The Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express was terminated at Mecheda. Titlagarh-Howrah Ispat Express was short-terminated at Tatanagar and ran from Tatanagar to Titlagarh. The Howrah-Puri Dhauli Express was short-terminated at Belda and further service to Puri was cancelled. The Santragachi-Anand Vihar Express was short-terminated at Uluberia, according to a release by SER. "Arrangements for drinking water and food have been made at major stations for the stranded passengers," a senior SER official said. The Adivasis during their agitation also caused road blockade on National Highways in the state leading to disruption of traffic movement. Traffic movement in districts like Jhargram, East Burdwan, Purulia, Birbhum, Hooghly, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, East Midnapore and West Midnapore bore the brunt of the agitation. However, the police removed the squatters within a few hours.
Demanding fulfilment of their nine-point charter of demands, including the propagation and promotion of Olchik script of Santhali language in various schools and colleges of the town, members of Bharat Jakat Majhi Pragana Mahal (BJMPM), the largest outfit of tribals had carried out the protests.
