64 trains cancelled as agitation by Kurmi organisations in West Bengal continue for third day

At least 64 express and passenger trains were cancelled on Friday owing to agitation by different Kurmi organisations blocking train tracks in the important Kharagpur-Tatanagar and Adra-Chandil sections of South Eastern Railway that have been continuing for three days, an SER official said. Both long distance and local passengers have been suffering immensely owing to the rail blockade by different Kurmi organisations, who have been agitating over a string of demands including recognition as a scheduled tribe, recognition of Sarna religion and inclusion of Kurmali language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

More than 225 trains have been cancelled since April 5 when the blockade by a group of people over issues not related to the railway started at Kustaur station in Adra-Chandil section of Adra division and at Khemasuli station in the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section of Kharagpur division of South Eastern Railway, the official said.

Organisations claiming to represent the interest of the Kurmi people, who are based mainly in the Chotanagpur plateau covering Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, had in September, 2022, also resorted to a five-day long blockade of railway tracks at these two stations over similar demands.

While Kustaur is in Purulia district of West Bengal, Khemasuli is in Paschim Medinipur district of the state.

Kurmi organisations are protesting in different districts of the state, including Dakshin Dinajpur, Purulia, Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur. Kurmis are presently classified as OBCs.

Among the trains cancelled on Friday are 12262 Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Duronto Express, 12860 Howrah-Mumbai CSMT Gitanjali Express, 12021/12022 Howrah-Barbil-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express, 12152 Shalimar-LTT Express and 12833/12834 Ahmedabad-Howrah-Ahmedabad Express, the SER official said.