Rail Roko protest carried out in peace in U.P; Police ensured no anti-social elements: ADG

Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Prashant Kumar has said that the farmers' 'Rail Roko' movement was peaceful in Uttar Pradesh. Kumar said that the Police has ensured that no anti-social elements in the garb of farmers ruin the peace. In his official statement, Kumar said "Kisan Andolan in UP has been peaceful so far. Neither any law & order situation reported nor 'rail roko' agitation anywhere. We're ensuring that no anti-social elements in the garb of farmers ruin peaceful protests. Police has been instructed to take strict action against them." 

Utkal Express stopped in Uttar Pradesh 

Utkal Express, which runs on the route from Odisha's Puri to Haridwar in Uttarakhand, has been stopped at Ghaziabad railway station because the farmers have blocked the railway tracks at Modinagar (Uttar Pradesh) railway station in view of the 'Rail Roko' movement. Railways said that the rail roko movement has majorly affected the movement of 25 trains. Meanwhile many incidents of protesters blocking trains have been reported from several parts of the country.

Also Read: 'Rail Roko' Protest Will Be Peaceful; We'll Distribute Snacks, Drinks: BKU's Rakesh Tikait

Also Read: Farm Unions Call For 4-hour Nationwide 'Rail Roko'; Railway Steps Up Security

Deepak Kumar, CPRO of Northern Railway, has informed that not a single train was cancelled in the Northern Railway zone. There has not been any incident of violence or disturbance reported. The Railway has tried to sop the passenger trains at big stations so that food and water can be provided to the passengers. As of now, the farmers blocked the railway track in Ambala, Palwal, Channi Himal area of Jammu, Amritsar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patna and several other parts of the country.

'Rail Roko' movement across the country

Farmers' organizations, which have been protesting on the borders of Delhi for more than two and a half months against the three new agricultural laws-- Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, have blocked trains across the country today (February 18, 2021). Indian Railways has deployed 20 additional companies of Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) to control the 'Rail Roko' campaign. These security forces have been deployed by the railways especially in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The United Farmers' Front (SKM) announced the 'Rail Roko' campaign last week to demand the repeal of agricultural laws.

Also Read: Rajkumar Chahar Urges Common Farmers Not To Take Part In Rail Roko, Points Out 'anarchy'

Also Read: Rail Roko: Railways Deploys 20 Additional RPSF Companies, Focus On Punjab, Haryana, UP