North-East region cut-off due to blockade

Guwahati, May 24: The northeastern region was completely cut off today with the rest of the country due to the 100-hour road and rail blockade launched by the former Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) militants.

The Ex-BLT cadres, who are ruling the state jointly with the Congress, gave the blockade call protesting against killings and attacks by the NDFB on their cadres.

According to NF Railway spokesman Trikalagya Rabha, as many as 16 long distance trains have been controlled at various stations with tens of thousands of people stranded all over the region.

This being the peak season, the worst affected were the students who were travelling seeking college admissions. Reports from Kokrajhar, Gosaigaon, Basugaon and Dudhnoi said that life in all these smaller towns have not been affected but there were no traffic on the National Highway.

According to the spokesman, the Rajdhani Express, the North East Express and Brahampura Mail have been regulated at various stations.

''They have been controlled in some major stations so that thousands of stranded passengers get some food'' he said.

Similarly, trains coming into Asom were controlled at Fakiragram, New Jalpaiguri, Dhupguri and New Coach Behar. There were major protestors in Kokrajhar, Gosaigaon and Dudhnoi railway stations.

''More than 3500 trucks are now stranded in Sri Rampur waiting to come into the northeast and there is almost identical number of trucks waiting at various points in and around Guwahati,'' the spokesman said.

UNI