Train services in various parts of West Bengal and Jharkhand were disrupted today as a result of a bandh called by the Jharkhand Disom Party, demanding recognition of tribals' 'Sarna Dharma' as a religion, a South Eastern Railway official said.
Sarna Dharma is centred around the worship of nature.
The Jharkhand Disom Party has called the dawn-to-dusk bandh in Jharkhand, Bengal, Assam and Odisha in association with some other outfits to demand 'Sarna Dharma' as a religion.
At least eight passenger trains were cancelled and three express trains, including New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express and Puri-New Delhi Purshottam Express were diverted through different routes, the South Eastern Railway spokesman said here.
The SER spokesman also said the railway has short-terminated five other passenger trains at different stations in its Adra division owing to blockades at several stations by bandh supporters.
Bandh supporters blocked train movement at Kantadih, Indrabil and Madhukunda stations in Purulia district of West Bengal, the spokesman said.