Meerut/Muzaffarangar/Rudrapur: Farmers squatted on railway tracks in several districts of West UP and Terai region in Uttarakhand on Monday, delaying trains and leaving passengers stranded on the stations.
A stern warning from the UP government and deployment of heavy police force failed to deter farmers from answering the call for a nationwide ‘Rail Roko’ by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to demand immediate suspension of Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
In Muzaffarnagar, farmers staged dharna on the railway tracks at Mansoorpur railway station, leaving Amritsar-Delhi Express stranded. Similarly, Sidhbali Express was halted at Bijnor. The rail-roko Andolan began at 10am on Monday and continued for six hours. In Meerut, farmers sat on dharna at Kankerkhera and Partapur railway tracks. In many places, however, the protest was symbolic in nature and trains ran without obstruction.
