Guwahati, Dec 5 (IANS) Train services to and from the northeastern states were affected on Monday following an 11-hour blockade by the Adivasi National Convention Committee (ANCC), a conglomeration of several organisations of indigenous people.
The ANCC, however, decided to restrict the blockade to only 5 hours later in the day. The train services, however, remained affected and the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and the railway authorities had to control at least 16 trains at different railway stations in the region.
The blockade started at 6 a.m. when thousands of volunteers of the ANCC gathered at the Kokrajhar railway station and blockaded the tracks, demanding the Scheduled Tribes status to the indigenous communities.
NF Railway officials said that 16 trains, including 12 Up trains, were controlled at New Alipurduar, New Coochbehar, Falakata, New Jalpaiguri, Kishanganj, Malda, Barsoi, Katihar and other stations. Similarly, four down trains were controlled at New Bongaigaon, Bongaigaon, Goalpara and Barpeta Road railway stations.
The ANCC later submitted a memorandum to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal through the Deputy Commissioner and demanded that the government to solve the problems of the community on the priority basis.
