A group of farmers squatting on railway tracks near here to protest the Centre's new farm laws withdrew their agitation on Thursday after 169 days, as suspension of trains caused losses to them and traders.

Savinder Singh, a leader of the Kissan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee  (KMSC) which had been organizing the stir, said they determined to withdraw the rail blockade at Devidaspura on the Amritsar-Delhi route after a meeting of all protesting farmer unions. Devidaspur near Jandiala station is about 25 km from Amritsar railway station.

''Farmers were blocking only passenger trains but the Centre decided to stop goods trains as well which caused huge losses to farmers, traders and industrialists. In the light of current circumstances, farmers have unanimously resolved to end the stir here,'' he said.

Officials said that with the farmers ending their stir here, normal movement of trains will resume within a couple of days.

The reason behind the protest of farmers: The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the MSP system being retained. several rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers’ union leaders have ended in a stalemate. Protesting farmers fear that the new laws will dismantle the MSP system and corporatise farming.

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