Jat protesters block railway track in Hisar

Tension prevailed in Hisar after a goods train was stopped two kilometres from the Ramayan protest site as some Jat protesters blocked the railway track near the Ramayan railway crossing on ‘Kala Diwas’ (black day) protest of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) on Sunday.

Police, paramilitary forces and rapid action force (RAF) rushed to the crossing to clear the railway lines. Deputy commissioner Nikhil Gajraj, superintendent of police Rajendre Kumar Meena, and sub-divisional magistrate Hisar, Ashok Bansal, also reached the dharna spot. After two hours of the standoff, tracks were cleared and the goods train was allowed to pass.

Talking to HT, DC Gajraj said, “The situation is under control. Roads and railway lines are clear. After receiving information that some people had blocked the railway track, we reached the spot and cleared it.”

Meanwhile, SP Meena said that there were 15 companies of police, paramilitary force and RAF maintaining law and order in Hisar. “No one will be allowed to breach the law and order situation,” he added. SP Meena said that the administration had imposed Section 144 in the district and that the police will book protesters if they breached it.

“Not a single person from the Jat community blocked the railway track or damaged any government property. We were there and those who blocked the track had covered their faces. We are holding our dharna peacefully,” AIJASS state spokesperson, Rambhagat Malik, said.

“Today, approximately 8,000 persons came out in support of ‘kala diwas’, including many women. We have asked women to come wearing a black duppata on their heads and men to tie a black ribbon on their hands,” Malik added.

As information of the blocked railway line reached the railway department, a passenger train from Hisar to Jaipur was stopped at Bhiwani station for safety.

The Haryana roadways of Hisar depot on Saturday had suspended buses on three routes: Hisar-Panipat, Hisar-Gurugram and Hisar-Delhi. Transport manager Jitender Kumar said, "We will resume Hisar-Delhi bus by Monday morning."