Ahead of stir, 300 farmers held

A day before their agitation tomorrow across Punjab, more than 300 farmers were taken into custody as a precautionary measure by the Punjab Police today.
Over 300 farmers were taken into custody ahead of their "Rail Blockade Programme" tomorrow in support of their demands, the BKU (Ekta), which is spearheading the stir, said.
Activists of 17 different farmers' organisations in Punjab would block rail traffic across the state from 12 pm to 4 pm tomorrow, BKU (Ekta) general secretray Sukhdev said.
The farmers alleged exploitation on the pretext of presence of moisture in paddy which, they said, had forced them to sell their produce at lower prices.

They asked the Centre to increase moisture content from 17 to 22 per cent.
All precautionary measures had been taken ahead of tomorrow's protest, officials said.