Traffic disrupted in NCR

Angry Gujjars who even tore up rail tracks leaving passengers stranded at various points in blistering heat, report Abhishek Bhalla, Kapil Dutta, Atul Mathur and SK Ahuja.

Rail and road traffic to Delhi was disrupted on Saturday by angry Gujjars who even, in one instance, tore up rail tracks leaving passengers stranded at various points in blistering heat.

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A mob went on rampage near the Ajaibpur railway station in Dadri area adjacent to Greater Noida and dug up four meters of rail track affecting rail traffic for nearly seven hours.

They left burning tyres at many points on the tracks. Those who left the local trains were stranded on the road and could not reach their offices in Delhi.

Protestors in Noida also blocked the Noida-Greater Noida expressway for over two hours. Traffic was also blocked at the Sector 14 A, Atta crossing, Sector 37 crossing, Bhangel, Khoda colony and NH-24 near Model Town. Additional police force had to be deployed and a flag march was held in Dari to control the situation.

Similar, but less violent, scenes were witnessed at the Loni Railway station where rail traffic was held up for 45 minutes. A mob then blockaded the Delhi-Saharapur highway.

While the protest spread to Noida and Ghaziabad on Saturday, Faridabad and Gurgaon were quieter compared to Friday. In Faridabad, traffic was disrupted for ten minutes on Anangpur Chowk.

In Delhi too, hundreds of Gujjars gathered at Badarpur, outside Apollo hospital and Chilla Village in East Delhi to disrupt road traffic.

Demonstrations were held in Sarai Kale Khan in South Delhi and Maujpur in East Delhi. Traffic on the Ring Road was also affected. The protests were peaceful said D Pathak, Delhi Police spokesperson.