U'khand women protest SC's tough order on forest border

HUNDREDS of people on Sunday protested on railway tracks in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh area, fearing displacement due to a Supreme Court-mandated survey of forest land.

- NARENDRA SETHI @ Dehradun

The rail blockade, primarily led by women, brought rail traffic to a standstill and escalated into a confrontation with security forces. Massive disruption occurred near the Mansa Devi railway crossing after residents gathered to voice their outrage against the forest department's demarcation exercise. The survey is being carried out following directives from the Supreme Court concerning encroachment on designated forest areas.

"We will give up our lives, but we will not give up our land," chanted enraged protesters, many of whom have occupied the land for decades, as they sat firmly on the tracks.