New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS): Agitating farmers on Monday stopped the railway traffic at the Modinagar Railway station in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district. Hundreds of farmers sat on the tracks to stop the passenger and freight train movement as part of the 'rail roko' protest call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha.

The security forces of four police stations of Ghaziabad district have been deployed along with a company of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) at the Modinagar railway station.

The agitating farmers began to gather after 11 a.m. Earlier in the morning, two passenger trains passed smoothly. Railway officials said that around 8 to 10 trains have to pass this railway station till 4 p.m.

The administration has appealed to the farmers not to trouble the passengers during their agitation.

Aditya Prajapati, SDM, Modi Nagar, said, "We have made proper arrangements of security forces to avoid any unfortunate incidents.

"We are talking to the farmers' representatives to not obstruct the railway traffic."

A six-hour-long rail roko agitation has been called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM). The morcha is demanding the removal of Union Minister of state (MoS) for Home Affairs Ajay Misra Teni from the cabinet over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

A statement issued by the SKM said, "To press for its demand for Ajay Misra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, SKM has announced a nation-wide rail roko programme on October 18."