Bharat Bandh: Punjab rallies behind farmers; protesters block roads, sit on rail tracks

Hundreds of farmers across the country blocked national highways, including those connecting New Delhi to Punjab and Haryana, following a 'Bharat Bandh' call by farmer unions demanding to scrap the contentious farm laws. In Punjab's Pathankot, farmers were seen squatting on railway tracks since morning

Pathankot (Punjab): In Pathankot, several farmers blocked the railway tracks with many seen lying on the tracks since morning. All the farmers in Amritsar too responded to the call and closed the Golden Gate and raised slogans against the government. In Patiala too, farmers protested against the government by blocking the road and a train was also stopped at the station of village Daun Kalan, causing a lot of trouble to the passengers.

A significant impact of Bharat Bandh has also been witnessed on the Haryana side of the Singhu border, wherein people working in the Kundli industries area were stopped by the protesting farmers. The farmers had earlier said that no one will be allowed to go towards the Kundli border from 6am to 4pm and that all vehicles will also be stopped.

The protesting farmers also blocked all roads leading to Jalandhar, Faridkot and Barnala and raised slogans against the government. The bandh was well received by the public and Mansa traders also closed the city in support of the farmers and raised slogans against the central government. Even the Delhi-Meerut Expressway has been blocked.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the farmer unions, had called for a 'Bharat Bandh' till 4pm today.

A heavy police force has been deployed, especially in Haryana and Punjab, in a bid to maintain law and order. With farmers having blocked the national highways and major link roads in both Punjab and Haryana, police have diverted the traffic at several places. According to Delhi Police, the vehicular movement has been closed from Uttar Pradesh towards Ghazipur.

Meanwhile, Gurugram witnessed major traffic congestion due to the heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces. Delhi-Amritsar National Highway has been blocked at Shahabad in Haryana's Kurukshetra. The National Highway 44 in Haryana has also been blocked.

On the Tikri border, many farmers sat on the railway tracks at Bahadurgarh railway station. Rail operations in Delhi, Ambala and Ferozepur divisions were also impacted. According to Northern Railway, over 20 railway tracks in Delhi were blocked by protesting farmers and twenty trains in the Ambala and Ferozepur division have been affected.