Adivasi-sponsored economic blockade hits traffic in Assam

Guwahati, Jan 27 (UNI) A 12-hour economic blockade, called by Adivasi protestors, disrupted road and rail traffic in western Assam today. The All Adivasi Students Association of Assam (AASAA) had called for the blockade to demand the accord of Scheduled Tribe status to the Adivasi (tea tribe) community.

Vehicular traffic was severely hit by the blockade as vehicles remained off the roads in the Adivasi-dominated western Assam.

Picket, trying to enforce the blockade at Srirampur check gate in the Assam-West Bengal border were detained by the police, but were released later.

Several trains also got delayed or cancelled following the blockade. However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state so far.

The AASAA leadership threatened to intensify their stir and called for a 1000-hour economic blockade from February 28 if the government did not accord ST status to the community.

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