Farmers in Punjab, Haryana start 'rail roko' protest

Chandigarh, Feb 18 (IANS) Farmers in Punjab and Haryana on Thursday started their four-hour long 'rail roko' protest on the nationwide call by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha against the Centre's three contentious agriculture laws for which farmers have been on a dharna in the national capital of Delhi.However, there no report of violence anywhere in both states.Besides farmer unions gave a call for a peaceful protest, security forces have been beefed up at railway stations to avoid any untoward incident.The trains will be stopped from 12 noon to 4 p.m.In a video, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni has appealed to the farmers to assemble at designated spots in their respective districts and make the protest a success.He also asked the farmers to ensure that the protest is held in a peaceful manner.Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Operations), Ambala division, Pankaj Gupta told the media additional deployed additional companies of the Railway Protection Special Force to law and order.
--IANS vg/in