Several vehicles were stuck on the old National Highway 6, which connects Kolkata to Mumbai, after an organisation of the Kudmi community started a blockade in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district on Tuesday, demanding that they be given ST status.
West Bengal Kudmi Samaj started the blockade around 6 am at Khemashuli in the Kharagpur local police station area, officials said.
"The blockade will continue until our demands are met," said Tapas Mahato, a leader of the organisation.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the road because of the blockade, triggering massive traffic snarls even on the other adjoining roads in Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts.
Till the last report was received around 11 pm, the blockade was continuing.
Drivers of the stranded vehicles said they were facing scarcity of food and water.
Some of the vehicles were being diverted through Balibhasha in Jhargram to bypass the blockade, officials said.
Kudmis are at present classified as OBCs.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool Rahul Gandhi's Seat At Red Fort Triggers Fresh Congress Attack On BJP Left, BJP, Creating Unrest: Mamata Banerjee On Midnight Attack At Hospital 'Don't Club Us With Others,' Says Manipur's Thadou Tribe, Waits For Peace Plan More Monkey Pox Cases Likely To Hit Europe Soon, Says WHO Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.