Farmers block rail traffic in Punjab, 17 trains hit

Hundreds of rail passengers remained stranded for around two hours at various places across the state due to a “Rail Roko” protest by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha today.

Farmers squatted on railway tracks for two hours in support of their demands, including punishment for those responsible for the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in UP in 2021. Eight persons, including four farmers, were killed in the incident.

The farmers also demanded loan waiver, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, MSP on crops and the immediate release of pending arrears worth Rs 28 crore to sugarcane growers.

The Ferozepur division of the Indian Railways, in a press note, said the train movement was affected at 33 different places due to protests led by Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra, State president of the Kisan Majdoor Sangharsh Committee.

Seventeen trains were affected, including the Ferozepur-Bathinda BGP Festival Special (01612), Ludhiana-Ferozepur Cantt Express Special (04997), Ferozepur Cantt-Ludhiana Express Special (04464), Surya Nagari Express (12479), Durg-Jammu Tawi Special (20847), Pathankot-Verka DMU (06936), Amritsar Fair Festival Special (05005), Amritsar-Jaynagar Shaheed Express (14674), Amritsar-Ajmer Express (19612), Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Ambedkar Nagar (12920), Pune-Jammu Tawi Jhelum Express (11077), Jalandhar City-Pathankot DMU (06949), Ferozepur-Jalandhar DMU (06966), Jamnagar-Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express (12477), Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar Express Special (04597), Amritsar-Khemkaran DMU (06941), Jammu Tawi-Ahmedabad Express (19224).

Farmers held a protest on railway tracks at the Sahnewal railway station in Ludhiana. The Durg-Udhampur and the New Delhi-Lohian Khas Express were halted at the Ludhiana railway station, while the Amarpali-Katiyar Express and Indore-Katra Express were stopped at the Khanna and Doraha railway stations, respectively.

The protest at the Sangrur railway station was led by the district general secretary of the BKU (Sidhupur) Ran Singh Chatha.

At least six trains were delayed in Amritsar district. Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee (KMSC) general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “Two accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri case have already been granted bail, while the UP Government is trying to provide respite to the remaining accused.”

Activists of the BKU (Doaba), KMSC and BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) blocked train traffic at various locations in Jalandhar. At Phillaur, BKU (Doaba) and BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) leaders led the protest, while KMSC leaders held a protest at the Lohian Khas railway station.