Train services to and from Tripura were affected on Thursday following a 24-hour bandh called by the Tripura Civil Society (TCS), demanding strong measures against illegal immigrants and the implementation of the Tiprasa Accord signed last year, among others.
The bandh by the TCS, which is spearheaded by Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma, had seen picketing across at least 36 locations in the state since Thursday morning. No untoward incident has been reported during the day.
The TCS called the bandh on its eight-point charter of demands, which includes the implementation of Tiprasa Accord, identification of the illegal foreign immigrants in compliance with the directives of the ministry of home affairs and setting up of a detention camp in each district.
According to the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), railway track at various locations under the Dharmanagar–Agartala section were blocked by picketers from 7.25am on Thursday.
“As a result of the blockade, few trains have been cancelled/ short terminated/ controlled,” the NFR said in a statement, releasing the names of the affected seven trains.
The short-terminated trains included 55676 (Dharmanagar-Agartala) Passenger; 15664 (Silchar-Agartala) Express; 15663 (Agartala-Silchar) Express; 75684 (Agartala-Sabroom) DMU; 75683 (Sabroom-Agartala) DMU; 75679 (Agartala-Karimganj) DMU and 75680 (Karimganj-Agartala) DMU.
Besides blocking train tracks, the picketers also blocked roads. The TCS has claimed the BJP-ruled state government has not implemented the Central government’s direction to identify and deport illegal immigrants from bordering Bangladesh.
Influx from Bangladesh has remained a sensitive issue in the Northeast.
Tipra Motha is a coalition partner of the BJP-led state government in the state. Opposition leaders in the state have accused Tipra Motha of being behind the ongoing bandh called by the TCS.
The state government had asked its employees to report for duty on Thursday.
Additional reporting by PTI