The railway traffic was badly disturbed in Jharkhand and its adjoining areas. In all, nine express trains were cancelled and eight others diverted in the Ranchi railway division of South Eastern Railways. 

This was part of a preventive move in view of an indefinite rail blockade called by Kurmi organisations from Wednesday. 

Several backward Kurmi caste bodies have called for an indefinite railway blockade at nine railway stations in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha from September 20 to press for their demand of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the community and inclusion of Kurmali language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution. 

A senior railway official said that the trains that were supposed to depart from their respective stations on Tuesday and enter Ranchi rail division the next day have either been cancelled or diverted as a precautionary measure. 

Checklist of cancelled trains due to Kurmi protest 

 *12101 LTT Shalimar Express 

*12129 Pune-Howrah Express 

*12261 CSMT Howrah-Duronto Express 

*12809 CSMT Howrah Express 

*12859 CSMT Howrah Express 

*22511 LTT Kamakhya Express 

*18029 LTT Shalimar Express 

*12130 Howrah- Pune Express *12810 Howrah -CSMT Express 

*00114 Sankrail CSMT Parcel Express 

*00113 CSMT Sankrail Parcel Express 

Passengers who had planned to travel on these trains should make alternative arrangements and stay updated with official announcements from the South Eastern Railway.

“The indefinite blockade of railway tracks will take place at Muri, Gomoh, Nimdih, Ghagra stations in Jharkhand, Khemasuli and Kustaur in West Bengal, and Harichandanpur, Jaraikela and Dhanpur in Odisha from September 20," he told media persons in Ranchi. A Kurmi leader is on record saying this.

”Thousands of people from the Kurmi community, adorned in traditional dress, will participate in the agitation, playing drums and other musical instruments and performing Chhau, Pata, Natuwa and Jhumar dance.”