Rail Roko Protest: Train traffic badly hit in Punjab, Haryana

Rail traffic was most affected in the two neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, as farmers squatted on tracks during the 'Rail Roko' demanding dismissal of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, whose convoy crushed four farmers on October 3 in a Lakhimpur Kheri village in Uttar Pradesh.

In Hoshiarpur, farmers squatted on rail tracks at nine places in the district since morning.

Farmers under the banner of various organisations sat on rail tracks and staged protest dharna in Hoshiarpur, Dasuya, Garhshankar and Tanda Railway Stations and on rail-road crossings at village Chak Kalan, near Sugar Mill Dugri Road, Mukerian, Darapur, Garna Sahib. They also squatted on rail track, opposite Cholang Toll plaza near Tanda, officials said here.

Farmers, led by their leaders, Harbans Singh Sangha at Hoshiarpur, Ranjit Singh at Dasuya, Vijay Kumar at Chak Kalan, Jaswant Singh Randawa at Mukerian, Comrade Darshan Singh Mattu at Garhshankar, Paramjit Singh Bhulla at Darapur, Sukhpal Singh Daffar at Garna Sahib, Jangveer Singh at Cholang Toll Plaza and Amarjit Singh at Tanda raised slogans against the BJP and demanded immediate arrest of MoS Mishra.

The speakers at these locations condemned the Kheri violence and warned that they would intensify their agitation till the arrest of Mishra.

In Moga, the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan blocked rail traffic at 24 places in 16 districts of Punjab.

Addressing farmers at Ajitwal railway station, BKU Ekta Ugrahan General Secreatry Sukhdev Singh Kokri said their peaceful agitation will continue until the central was arrested and dismissed as his remaining at the post will not ensure a free and fair probe.

Rail traffic was blocked at four places in the district -- Dagru, Moga and two at Ajitwal railway stations.

Farmers were also seen protesting in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Jind, Karnal, Charkhi Dadri, Hisar and Sonipat, in Haryana.

“About 60 trains have been affected,” said a Northern Railways' statement.

A special train that left from Ahmedabad with pilgrims to the Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine to Katra in Jammu was assigned a new route.

The six hour-long protests aimed at halting rail traffic across the country forced the Railway to cancel 25 short distance trains in both states.

“Northwestern rail traffic between, Bhiwani-Rewari, Sirsa-Rewari, Loharu-Hisar, Suratgarh-Bathinda, Sirsa-Bathinda Hanumangarh-Bathinda, Rohtak-Bhiwani, Rewari-Sadulpur, Hisar-Bathinda, Hanumangarh-Sadulpur and Sri Ganganagar-Rewari has been affected.”

“Train number 04781, Bathinda - Rewari Special and Train number 04573, Sirsa-Ludhiana Special will remain suspended on Monday,” said the railway.

Train No. 09415, Ahmedabad-Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Katra Special train service which has departed from Ahmedabad on Monday, will operate in a changed route via Rewari-Delhi-Pathankot to Shri Matavaishnodevi Katra.

The farmers will continue to obstruct rail traffic all over India till 4 p.m.

The Morcha has said: “It is very apparent that with Ajay Mishra being the Minister of State for Home Affairs in the Union Government, justice cannot be secured in this matter,.”

At least nine people have so far died in the Kheri incident, including three BJP workers and a journalist who were killed in an ensuing violence after the farmers were crushed under a car allegedly being driven by the Minister's son. Ashish Mishra was arrested on October 10 and sent to police custody on October 12.

Three SUVs, one allegedly being driven by Ashish Mishra crushed protesters while they were agitating against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

(With UNI inputs)