Cops escort Nand Kishore Yadav and Mangal Pandey to Sachivalaya police station on Friday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Train services were disrupted across the state owing to the BJP-sponsored rail chakka jaam demanding special category status and financial package for Bihar.

Around 200 trains were affected as thousands of workers and supporters agitated from 5am to 12 noon. Top leaders like Sushil Kumar Modi, Nand Kishore Yadav and Mangal Pandey, too, joined the protesters at Sachivalaya Halt.

The trio, were, however, arrested and taken to Sachivalaya police station. Major trains affected included Rajdhani Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, South Bihar Express, Howrah-Danapur Express, Jogbani-Anandvihar Express, Mithilanchal Express, CST Express, Jansadharan Express, Vikramshila Express and Toofan Express. Modi said: “The rail chakka jaam was successful.”

Workers sat on railway tracks near Gulzarbagh station in Patna City blocking the Delhi-Calcutta main line. Agitators also staged dharna at Sachivalaya halt.

Led by Giriraj Singh, workers of the BJP and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party stopped trains at Muzaffarpur railway station for around two hours. The Sampark Kranti Superfast Express and the Raxaul-Hajipur Passenger were stopped. Train movement was allowed on the Muzaffarpur-Narkatiaganj section of the East Central Railway only after 12 noon. BJP MLA Pramod Kumar and his supporters stopped several trains at Motihari railway station, including the Raxaul-Howrah Mithila Express. Several other express and passenger trains remained stationed at Motihari, Bettiah, Semra, Chakia, Ramgarhwa and Sikta.

In Darbhanga, travellers faced a tough time, as several express and passenger trains came to a halt for around six hours. The senior divisional rail manager of Samastipur rail division of Eastern Central Railway, MAI Humayun, said: “Around 17 trains were stopped at various stations. Many patients and students had to bear the brunt.”

Train movement on the Chhapra-Gorakhpur section was also hit for over three hours as BJP leaders squatted on tracks at different places in Siwan, Saran and Gopalganj. Major trains delayed included Vaishali Express, Sampark Karanti Express and Amrapali Express.

At Gaya railway station, the blockade continued from 8.35am to 10.55am. Gaya MP Hari Manjhi, Gaya town MLA Prem Kumar and MLC Sanjeev Shyam Singh staged dharna on the tracks on Gaya station. The railway police arrested around 60 persons, including the leaders.