4-hour blockade disrupts train service

Kolkata: A group of people squatted on the tracks at Mecheda railway station in East Midnapur district for over four hours following an accident today, disrupting train services, a South Eastern Railway official said.

The blockade started at around 7.40 am after a cyclist was knocked down by Santragachi-Mecheda EMU Local on the tracks on platform no. 6. The man died on the spot.

Around 10 up and down mail and express trains and 19 sub-urban EMU and passenger trains had to be detained at various stations, the official said.

The affected down trains include Bengaluru-Guwahati Express, Tatanagar-Howrah Steel Express, Chennai Central- Santragachi AC Express, Purulia-Howrah Express and Asansol-Haldia Express.

Besides, up trains such as Howrah-Digha Tamralipta Express, Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express, Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, Shalimar-Bhojudih Aranyak Express, and Howrah-CSMT Duronto Express were detained, the official said.

The official said the blockade was lifted shortly after 12 noon at the intervention of the local administration.