Farmer unions demanding the release of three activists arrested during the ongoing farmers protest had refused to vacate the railway track near Shambhu railway station at Haryana and Punjab border on Amritsar-Delhi route till they are released. At least 11 trains were cancelled, and more than 60 others, mostly passenger trains, were affected on Wednesday as farmer unions blocked railway tracks at Shambhu border in Patiala district of Punjab.as a large number of passengers travelling on this route suffered too much inconvenience. The protestors were demanding the release of three farmer activists who were arrested recently. Farmer unions have been demanding the release of three of their activists — Anish Khatkar, Navdeep Singh Jalveda and Gurkirat Singh. According to information, Anish Khatkar is lodged in Punjab’s Jind jail, the other two are incarcerated in Ambala Central Jail.
Talking to media persons, the protestors said that they have been compelled to block the railway track as the authorities did not meet the deadline to release the three arrested, and their protest will continue till they are released, the farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said. There was heavy police deployment at Shambhu. The protesting farmers removed the barricading on the road leading to the railway station before reaching the tracks. The Punjab Police also deployed water cannons, but did not use them to deter the agitating farmers from entering the railway station. The police tried to stop the protesters by deploying female cops, but they failed as the farmers outnumbered them. The protesters entered the railway station and raised a tent in the middle of the railway track. A farmer leader Manjit Singh Rai told media persons that the officials of both Punjab and Haryana states had assured a deadline of April 16 to Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM non-political) to release the arrested activists. The Sayunkt Kisan Morcha (non-political) had launched its protest at Shambhu border on February 13, 2024 for various demands including a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP), farm-loan waivers, release of farmers arrested during earlier protests.
