Kurmi Protest: Passengers Caught in the Crossfire of a Broader Social Justice Movement

A large-scale rail blockade by the Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS) in Jharkhand, demanding inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, has left thousands of passengers stranded across multiple stations, severely disrupting train services. The protests, defying prohibitory orders, have halted operations at key stations including Ghatshila in East Singhbhum, Muri and Rai in Ranchi, Parasnath in Giridih, and Chandrpura in Bokaro, causing widespread frustration among travelers.

Among the affected is Maloti Ghosh, a 61-year-old woman stranded at Ghatshila station while traveling on the Howrah-Pune Duronto Express to reach her ailing daughter in Pune. “My daughter is unwell, and her two children are suffering. I have to get there, but railway officials only give assurances with no clear timeline,” Ghosh pleaded, unaware of the protests before boarding.

Similarly, Shailaja Singh, 56, from Bhagalpur, Bihar, was en route to Raipur to visit her hospitalized grandson but found herself stuck due to the lack of direct rail connectivity and the ongoing agitation. “Thousands of passengers are suffering,” Singh lamented.

The protests led to significant disruptions, with the Tata-Patna Vande Bharat Express canceled at Muri station after being stranded for hours. Samir Das, 40, bound for Gayaji to perform Pitru Tarpan rituals, expressed dismay after his plans, including hotel bookings, were derailed. “The train has been stuck since 7:15 AM, and now it’s canceled. I’m in a catch-22 situation,” he said.

Bipin Bihari Dwivedi, a 65-year-old retired telecom employee, voiced frustration over the lack of prior warning about the protests, questioning why high-profile trains like the Vande Bharat were allowed to operate.

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Railway authorities reported that at least three trains, including the Hatia-Barddhaman Memu and Tatanagar-Gua-Tatanagar Memu, were canceled, with one short-terminated and four others controlled due to the agitation affecting the South Eastern Railway (SER) and Dhanbad division of the East Central Railway (ECR). Senior divisional commercial manager Suchi Singh noted that efforts to resume train movements failed as protesters occupied the tracks, and alternative arrangements are being made to return passengers to their originating stations.

The Kurmi community’s demand for ST status, which would grant access to enhanced affirmative action benefits, has sparked intense debate. The protests highlight growing tensions over caste-based reservations in Jharkhand, leaving passengers caught in the crossfire of a broader social justice movement. As the blockades continue, the railway authorities and state government face mounting pressure to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy for stranded travelers.

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