Rail Roko protest: Train services hit in Punjab

The six-hour-long nationwide ''Rail roko'' protest called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), demanding the dismissal and arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri began at 10am on Monday, and is currently underway.

As the agitation began on Monday morning, protestors collectively sat on the railway track at Devi Dasspura village in Amritsar, in order to obstruct train movement, news agency ANI reported.

As per reports, a railway official said four sections of the Ferozepur division were blocked by the protesters. The Ferozepur-Fazilka section in Ferozepur city and the Ferozepur-Ludhiana section at Ajitwal in Moga were affected, the official said. The Border Security Force (BSF) has been deployed at Bahadurgarh Railway Station in Haryana.

As of now, 30 locations are affected and eight trains regulated in the Northern Railway Zone, the Chief Public Relation Officer, Northern Railway, has indicated, ANI reported.  

Demanding the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher on Monday demanded said the KMSC will hold protests at 20 places in 11 districts of the state.

"This (rail roko) will be take place at different places in different districts. The people there, all over the country know where we have to stop the train. Government of India has not spoken to us yet," said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.