Rail Roko protests hit train operations in Bihar

Patna : In support of Rail Roko call given by farmer leaders, opposition parties in Bihar organised massive protests at several places in the state on Thursday to disrupt train services.The Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) led by Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav and his supporters spearheaded the Rail Roko protests in Bihar. Yadav himself was involved in a protest at Patna’s Sachiwalay halt. Along with his supporters, he stopped a passenger train at the halt and did not allow it allow it to pass.JAP leaders assembled at the railway track at 10.30 am, much before the 12 noon call given by farmer leaders for the four-hour Rail Roko Andolan stir. Several trains are running late owing to the protests. The Railway administration has also cancelled some trains.During the protests, Ranjan said: “We are standing in solidarity with the farmers. Our agitation will continue until the Centre rolls back the three farms bills.”The supporters of JAP also come out in large numbers at the Arrah railway station and stopped the Rajgir New Delhi Shramjivi Express train. They blocked the way by sleeping on the railway track. RJD supporters, too, came to the Bihar Sharif railway station and blocked the passenger trains heading towards Patna.Reports of protests are coming from many places in Bihar. Protesters have blocked the main railway track connecting Delhi with Kolkata and Delhi with Guwahati.Meanwhile, the state government deployed 20,000 police personnel at various districts in the state.The police personnel detained JAP, RJD and Congress supporters for their alleged involvement in stopping trains.Trains such as the Amritsar Darbhanga express and the Amritsar Darbhanga Special were cancelled by railway authorities.