Rail blockade by Kurmis underway in Jharkhand, train services partially affected

Defying prohibitory orders, a rail blockade by Kurmis is underway at various stations in Jharkhand on Saturday (September 20, 2025) morning, disrupting train services partially in the state, officials said.

The protesters were seen sitting on tracks at Rai station in Ranchi, Parasnath in Giridih and Chandrpura in Bokaro district under the banner of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS) to press their demand for a Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the community and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

According to a statement issued by the railways, train services in the jurisdiction of the South Eastern Railway (SER) and Dhanbad division of the East Central Railway (ECR) have been partially affected due to the agitation by Adivasi Kudmi Samaj.

"At least three trains, including Hatia-Barddhaman Memu and Tatanagar-Gua-Tatanagar Memu, have been cancelled, one has been short-terminated and four were controlled," it said.

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