Haryana strike over police firing killings partial

The 24-hour strike called by the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, spearheading farmers agitation in Haryana, evoked a mixed response in the state on Monday.

The strike, called in protest against the October 10 police firing in Mahendragarh which claimed seven lives, began at 0500 hours on Monday and affected road and rail services at certain places. Haryana Roadways buses remained off the roads in the state. Its buses, however, operated on inter-state routes not passing through the state.

The reports said vehicular traffic remained disrupted on Jind-Kaithal, Narwana-Kaithal and Rohtak-Hisar roads following blockade by the agitators.

About 100 agitators squatted on the railway track at Damtan Sahib in Jind district obstructing traffic on the route.

Reports said the protestors removed fishplates from tracks near Qila Jaffargarh on the Rohtak-Jind section and between Kalayat and Narwana, disrupting traffic.

The Bombay-bound Ferozepur-Bombay Express and the Ferozepur-bound Bombay-Ferozepur Janata Express were diverted via Viasjhakhal-Hisar-Rewari while the Delhi-Ferozepur passenger train was terminated at Jind.

No report of violence has been received so far.

Official sources said the strike call evoked lukewarm response with almost all shops remaining open in different parts of the state. They said that attendance in government offices was normal and essential services like water and power supply were not affected.

The government has deployed more than 12 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force and the Rapid Action Force in sensitive areas to maintain law and order.

UNI