Trains With Coal For Power Plants Hit Amid Protest Over Farmers' Killing

Security was deployed at railway stations in the wake of the ''rail roko'' protest. 293 trains were affected. Of the 150 goods trains affected by the rail roko today, 75 were trains carrying coal to power plants, sources said.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers' unions, claimed that their leaders were detained and arrested at several places during their six-hour ''rail roko'' protest in which thousands of farmers peacefully participated to demand the dismissal and arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Farmers in Punjab and elsewhere were seen squatting on rail tracks as part of their protest. Four sections of the Ferozepur division were blocked by the protesters, said a railway official. The Ferozepur-Fazilka section in Ferozepur city and the Ferozepur-Ludhiana section at Ajitwal in Moga were affected, he added.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha said it will hold a peaceful nationwide rail roko protest from 10 am to 4 pm for justice in Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh.

"This (rail roko) will be take place at different places in different districts. The people there, all over the country know where we have to stop the train. Government of India has not spoken to us yet," said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.

Action will be taken against those participating in the rail roko andolan, said Lucknow police, adding that the stringent National Security Act will be invoked against those trying to disrupt normalcy.

Union Minister of state for Home Ajay Mishra's son, Ashish, has been arrested in the case, but the farmers' body say that as long as the minister is in the government justice cannot be secured in the matter. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed when a car belonging to the minister ran over them on October 3. Farmers have alleged that the minister's son mowed down the protesting farmers.

The minister had refuted the allegations saying that his son was not present at the site of the incident. His son has reiterated the same and denied the allegation.

Sources in the Uttar Pradesh Police have told NDTV that the minister's son was arrested since he was not able to answer several questions about his whereabouts during the violence allegedly triggered after the vehicle ran over farmers. The arrest came after the Supreme Court pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government.

Last week, Rahul Gandhi-led Congress delegation urged President Ram Nath Kovind to sack the minister whose son is accused of mowing down protesting farmers in UP. The President, in turn, has said he will speak to the government over the issue, said the Congress.