Over 1,000 BKU workers held in UP

Lucknow, Nov 18 (UNI) Over 1,000 Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) workers, on they way to attend a maha panchayat in Meerut, were today arrested from across Uttar Pradesh.

The arrests were made apprehending as the workers would have distrubed peace law and order problem. The rally was organised to protest the arrest of BKU president Chaudhary Mahendra Singh Tikait and closure of sugarmills.

As many as 800 farmers were nabbed from Meerut region, including Bulandshahr-138, Baghpat-328, Saharanpur-100 and Muzaffarnagar-200.

Fifty and 70 farmers were held from Basti and Pilibhit railway stations, respectively.

BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait told UNI on telephone today ''thousands of farmers were halted by police at several places, restricting them to participate in the panchayat.'' UNI