Rail traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai route, disrupted after Gujjars uprooted 300 m of the track in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district, was restored on Monday evening as the state government initiated talks with agitating community leaders.
The restoration work began in the early hours after Gujjar leader Col (Retd) Kiori Singh Bhainsala persuaded agitating members of his community, who squatted near the track. Angry over the alleged ill-treatment meted out to their leaders in prisons, Gujjars on Sunday night uprooted 300 m of the rail track between Dungaria and Fatehpuria stations, some 275 km from here, affecting traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai route.
Later, nearly 5,000 Gujjars squatted near the damaged track as senior district and police officials persuaded them to disperse. The repair and restoration work began after Bhainsala talked to protesters, SP (Bharatpur) Anand Srivastav said.
Bhainsala, spearheading Gujjars' stir in Rajasthan, was brought from Ajmer's Central Jail to persuade agitators to allow repair and restoration work.
The SP said the situation in the district was peaceful with no reports of any untoward incident. The Vasundhara Raje government initiated talks with Gujjar leaders in Ajmer in connection with their demands, sources said. Panchayati Raj Minister Kalulal Guhhar was among those holding parleys with Gujjar leaders lodged in various jails.
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