Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, February 18

Farmers blocked railway tracks at Bahadurgarh, Aasodha, Rohad, Guda and Parnala villages on Thursday as part of their nationwide ‘rail roko’ agitation from 12 noon till 4 pm.

Protesters, who were supposed to block the Rohtak-Delhi track, failed to reach the site in time. They sat on a dharna around 12:30 pm. By then, the Shri Ganganagar-Delhi express train had already reached the Bahadurgarh station from Rohtak and later left for Delhi after a two-minute stopover.

Goods train stopped

• Members of Dalal Khap stopped a goods train at the Aasodha railway station
• Protesters climbed atop its engine and raised slogans against “insensitive” attitude of the Centre
• Train driver and others on board were served tea, ‘samosas’ & other eatables

Members of Dalal Khap stopped a goods train at the Aasodha railway station. The protesters climbed atop its engine and raised slogans against the Central Government. People from nearby areas also participated in the protest.

Bhup Singh, president of Dalal Khap 84, said the train driver and others on board were served tea, ‘samosas’ and other eatables. No other train came there during the protest, he added.

A group of farmers joined the protest at the Bahadurgarh railway station at 1.30 pm and raised slogans against the government.

At Rohad, the agitation was led by the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha.

Famer leader Vikas Sisar, who led the protest near Parnala village, said they did not want to cause any inconvenience to passengers, but were forced to hold the protest in view of “insensitive” attitude of the Centre towards their demands.