NEW DELHI, April 11 — Train operations in parts of West Bengal were severely disrupted on Friday after more than 5,000 people squatted on the railway tracks between Dhulianganga and Nimtita stations, obstructing services for hours, officials said. The incident began at approximately 2:46 p.m. local time and impacted the movement of several trains, including the 15644 DN Kamakhya–Puri Express, which was halted near Dhulianganga station, according to a statement from Eastern Railway.
“This obstruction was due to a non-Railway cause,” the statement noted, without specifying the nature of the protest. The 53434 DN Barharwa–Azimganj Passenger was also detained at Ballalpur station due to unavailability of a clear path. Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and local police personnel were deployed to the site and are currently engaged in negotiations with the protesters.
Eastern Railway expressed concern over the disruption, stating that such actions not only impact punctuality but also cause considerable inconvenience to passengers. Officials have yet to confirm what prompted the mass protest or whether services have resumed in the affected Azimganj–New Farakka section.
