Cane growers block traffic on Jalandhar-Pathankot highway

An estimated 5,000 sugarcane growers from across Punjab gathered at Mukerian in Hoshiarpur district and blocked the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway on Thursday afternoon to protest the proposed closure of sugar mills and the non-clearance of their outstanding payments.

Farmers also held a dharna on the Jalandhar-Pathankot rail track, disrupting train traffic in the region.

Hoshiarpur district police chief Dhanpreet Kaur rushed to the dharna site soon after the farmers began gathering on the highway. Commuters stuck in the traffic jam had a harrowing time even as vehicles were being diverted via other routes.

Traffic headed to and from Jammu and Kashmir was also affected due to the blockade.