Kurmi Agitation: Protesters blocked trains: Several trains cancelled

Ranchi: Many trains including Vandebharat have been canceled due to the train blocking agitation by Kurmi community members raising various demands.  Trains of South Eastern Railway and East Coast Railway have been cancelled.  Several trains have been diverted.  South Eastern Railway stated that 7 trains including Vandebharat Express, Howrah and Mumbai Turanto Express were canceled on Wednesday and 9 trains were diverted.  Kurmi protesters are blocking the train at 9 stations in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.  The Kurmi faction has announced an indefinite railway and road blockade, demanding that the community be given Scheduled Tribe status and the Kurmali language be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.  The Calcutta High Court Division Bench had criticized the Kurmi strike as illegal and unconstitutional.  Kurmi leaders announced on Tuesday that they are temporarily calling off the agitation, but the agitators have not backed down from the strike.