Over a dozen trains, including the Ranchi-Howrah Vande Bharat Express, were either detained, diverted or rescheduled in the Adra division of South Eastern Railway on Saturday following the 12-hour nationwide "Rail Roko" by the Kurmi community demanding Scheduled Tribe status.

Protesters also demanded the intervention of the state and Centre for the inclusion of Kurmali language in the Eight Schedule to the Constitution of India.

Train services were also disrupted in Asansol division following a three-hour blockade at Kalipahari station near Asansol in West Burdwan by the Kurmi community.

In Purulia's Kantadihi and Malda's Adina, protesters sat on tracks since 6am. The Ranchi-Howrah Vande Bharat Express was stuck at Purulia station. It was later diverted via Chandil. The Sealdah-bourne Kanchenjungha Express was held up at Gosaigaon in Assam following a blockade there.

Kurmi community members have been agitating since years demanding ST status. Both the BJP and Trinamul have used it as a poll plank, each blaming the other for the delay in the implementation of the demand.

Railway authorities in affected areas and local district administrations appealed to protesters to lift their blockade in vain.

Passengers of various trains said they were harassed by the protest.

"I buy stationery goods from the Asansol wholesale market to sell them in my shop. But I couldn't take the train today. I took a bus and got late," said Saikat Ghosh, a trader in Purulia. Alokesh Pal of Purulia said he was supposed to go to Calcutta by train for a medical check-up on Saturday, but had to defer it.

Protesters said they had no alternative but to agitate on tracks. "We have been agitating for long for our demands but the state government and the Centre are reluctant to commit. We had no alternative," said a protester in Purulia.