Bharat Bandh: Four Shatabdi trains cancelled as protesters squat on tracks

Bharat Bandh: Four Shatabdi trains cancelled as protesters squat on tracks
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New Delhi: Protesters squatted on railway tracks at 44 locations across Punjab and Haryana on Friday as part of the Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions protesting against agri laws, leading to disruption of rail traffic.

A railway spokesperson said four Shatabdi trains have been cancelled, 35 other passenger trains were detained and the movement of 40 goods trains was affected by the protests.

The 44 locations where train movement has been disrupted fall under the Delhi, Ambala and Ferozepur divisions of the railways.

"As of 11 am, kisan agitators are sitting at 44 locations. Total 35 passenger trains have been detained and 40 goods trains are affected so far. Four Shatabdi trains have been cancelled," Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar said.

The Samkyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called for the bandh from 6 am to 6 pm to mark four months of the farmers' agitation at Delhi's three borders -- Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for minimum support price on their crops.