Irate villagers block rail movement after cattle run over

Balasore, Oct 22 (UNI) Train services of the South Eastern Railway were disrupted for several hours in Orissa today following picketing by hundreds of villagers near Laxmannath Road station to protest run over of many cattle heads by the East Coast Express.

Several important trains were detained for hours at several stations.

Official sources said some cows were run over and killed by the train at an unmanned gate at Nangudipur. Thereafter thousands of villagers led by a CPI (M) leader assembled there and squatted on the tracks blocking both up and down trains for hours. They demanded upgrading of railgate with man and adequate compensation for deaths of so many cattle heads.

The Additional Divisional Railway Manager from Kharagpur arrived at the spot and convinced them to call off the blockade.

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