Jalpaiguri: Train services in north Bengal's Kamtapur were disrupted on Tuesday due to a rail blockade by the Kamtapur State Demand Forum (KSDF) demanding a separate Kamtapur state. The KSDF staged a sit-in at the New Maynaguri station due to which train service remained affected for over four hours.
The KSDF started the rail blockade at New Maynaguri station at 6 am demanding a separate Kamtapur state. Soon after, RPF and State Police personnel were deployed at New Maynaguri station to avoid any untoward incident. The 15703 New Jalpaiguri Bongaigaon train was cancelled while the 15704 New Jalpaiguri Bongaigaon train was short-terminated.
Even the Howrah-Dibrugarh Kamrup Express, 15657 Delhi Kamakhya Brahmaputra Mail, 13147 Shayalda Bamanhat Uttarbanga Express, 15625 Deoghar Agartala Express trains were made to travel through the Y leg and run on a different route via New Cooch Behar, said Chief Public Relations Officer of North Eastern Frontier Railway (NEFR) Sabyasachi Dey.
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Kamtapur State Demand Forum, a joint platform of the Kamtapur People's Party and the Kamtapur Progressive Party, called the 12-hour rail blockade across north Bengal. A large police force and railway police have been deployed at New Maynaguri station for the rail blockade. The Rail blockade was staged at New Maynaguri in New Cooch Behar, Malda and Jalpaiguri districts.
Chairman of Kamtapur State Demand Joint Forum and president of Kamtapur People's Party (United) Nikhil Roy said that the 12-hour rail blockade movement across north Bengal was called by Kamtapur State Demand Joint Forum. "We spoke to the railway officials. They came to talk to us. They told us that they would report our demand to the higher authorities, so we gave up the agitation," Roy told ETV Bharat.
On the other hand, Vice-Chairman of Kamtapur State Demand Joint Forum Amit Roy said, "We blocked the railways in support of our demands. The railway and district administration officials requested us to withdraw our stir. But we staged a peaceful protest." Meanwhile, Maynaguri BDO Shubra Nandi, DSP Crime Bikramjit Lama, and Railway Officer Piyush Pandey came to New Maynaguri station and discussed with the agitators and lifted the rail blockade.
