Buxar: A planned rail blockade over the closure of the Itadhi railway level crossing was averted on Saturday after RPF personnel stopped protesters before they could reach the tracks.Under the banner of the Zila Dalit Ati Pichhara Swabhiman Sangharsh Morcha, protesters carrying flags and banners marched towards the railway line, raising slogans against the railway administration. Acting on prior information, railway police intercepted the group and shifted them to a designated protest site.The protest was led by Saroj Rajbhar, while Ram Bhikshu Thakur coordinated the programme. Rajbhar said the agitation would continue until the crossing was reopened, alleging that the railway and district administrations had ignored public concerns.He said the closure had forced thousands of residents to take longer routes, causing inconvenience to schoolchildren, farmers and commuters. According to him, the problem would worsen during the upcoming Shravani Mela, when lakhs of Kanwariyas travel to the Ganges.RPF officer-in-charge Kundan Kumar said adequate security arrangements had been made and the protesters’ demands would be forwarded to higher authorities. Protesters warned of a rail blockade after 11 days if the crossing remained closed.
