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Kurmis lift rail blockades in Purulia on fifth day of stir

All steps are being taken to restore normal train services in Adra and Kharagpur divisions

PTI Kolkata Published 10.04.23, 08:30 AM
For representational purposes

For representational purposes File photograph

The Kurmi community people on Sunday evening withdrew their rail blockades at two places in West Bengal’s Purulia district on the fifth day of their agitation demanding Scheduled Tribe status, the South Eastern Railway said.

All steps are being taken to restore normal train services.

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“The blockade at Kustaur station in Adra division and Khemasuli station in Kharagpur division since April 5 has been withdrawn,” the SER said in a statement.

The agitators lifted the blockade at Kustaur and Khemasuli stations at 11.45am and sometime after 8pm.

“The agitation at Kotshila station which was started at around 12.30pm on Sunday has also been withdrawn at 8pm,” the statement said. The blockade at the two railway stations led to cancellation of around 500 express and passenger trains since April 5, causing immense hardship to thousands of passengers.

The Kurmis have been agitating over a string of demands including recognition as a scheduled tribe, recognition of the Sarna religion and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

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