West Bengal: Train services affected as tracks blocked in Jalpaiguri by organization demanding separate state

To press for the demand for a separate state, members of the All Kamtapur Students Union (AKSU) blocked railway tracks in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district for a few hours on Friday morning, affecting train services.

The blockade at Betgara station in the New Jalpaiguri-New Bongaigaon section of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) began at 7 am and continued for about three hours before the RPF and state police officials convinced the protesters to withdraw it, officials said .

NFR spokesperson Sabyasachi Dey said the blockade was lifted after a long period of persuasion.

“The trains have started moving towards their destination,” he said.

Officials said the trains affected by the protest included the New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati Vande Bharat Express.

The protesters raised slogans against both TMC and BJP for not fulfilling their demands.

AKSU is the student wing of the Kamtapur People’s Party United, which is agitating for a separate Kamtapur state carved out of northern parts of West Bengal and western Assam.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)