Protesters sit on rail tracks in Punjab, Haryana; commuters hit

Acting on the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for a six-hour nationwide 'rail roko' protest, all railway tracks in Punjab and Haryana were blocked on Monday by farmers, thus affecting the rail services.

The farmers are protesting in support of their demand to remove Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni from the Cabinet following the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son Ashish Mishra is the main accused.

Train services were affected in both the states due to the protest. However, there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the states.

The farmers' unions have also been demanding scrapping of three Central farm laws.

The SKM had announced a six-hour nationwide 'rail roko' protest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In Ferozepur town, the rail track blockade came into effect one hour before time.

Heavy police presence was seen at various places in Haryana and Punjab to maintain law and other in view of the protest by farmers.

Hundreds of people had a harrowing time as rails did not ply due to the nationwide strike.

Passengers were left stranded at railway stations in various towns and cities as trains were stranded. People were forced to travel in other public transports.

"It is very apparent that with Ajay Mishra being the MoS for Home Affairs in the Union Government, justice cannot be secured in this matter," the SKM said in a statement on Sunday.

"He promoted hatred, enmity and communal disharmony between the Hindus and Sikhs in his speeches. It is his vehicles that were used to mow down peaceful protestors. He harboured his son and accomplices even as the police were issuing summons to Ashish Mishra," it added.