Assam tribal body blockade disrupts trains bound for Chennai, Delhi

This was the first rail blockade in Assam since the BJP-led government headed by Sarbananda Sonowal took charge on May 24.

Trains services in Assam were disrupted for over six hours, while at least four pairs of trains were cancelled following a rail blockade called by the Hill Tribes Protection Forum in Diphu railway station in central Assam on Monday. This was the first rail blockade in Assam since the BJP-led government headed by Sarbananda Sonowal took charge on May 24.

The 12-hour blockade in Diphu railway station was called to protest the Centre’s recent reported move to grant Scheduled Tribe status to people of the Bodo community residing in Karbi Anglong district, with the Karbi community fearing that the move would infringe upon the rights of its members.

The blockade however was called off at around 12 noon after chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal sent out an invitation to leaders of the agitating group to resolve the issue over a discussion. “The blockade was lifted around noon after the chief minister sent them an invitation to discuss their issue,” Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner Mukul Chandra Gogoi said.

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While the blockade that began at 5 AM disrupted and delayed the running of at least four long-distance trains, the railway authorities cancelled four pairs of local trains including the Guwahati-Jorhat-Guwahati Janshatabdi Express and Rangiya-Dibrugarh-Rangiya Express.

Northeast Frontier Railway PRO Nripen Bhattacharyya said the major trains that that got delayed by over six hours included the 15910 Awadh-Assam Express (that runs between Lalgarh and Dibrugarh), 15930 Dibrugarh-Chennai-Egmore Express, 14055 Dibrugarh-Delhi Brahmaputra Mail and 13281 Tinsukia-Rajendranagar Weekly Express.

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