Delhi-bound Samjotha Express called back from Wagah border amid farmers' protest

Train comes back with passengers on Indian authorities request as farmers protest in Indian Punjab

The Delhi-bound Samjotha Express was called back from Wagah Border on Thursday after Indian authorities cautioned their Pakistani counterparts of farmers’ protests in Indian Punjab.

The train carrying both Indian and Pakistani passengers was offloaded upon reaching Wagah border.

Indian authorities had requested the train to be halted amid security concerns as the Delhi-Attari train, ferrying passengers to the border station, could not reach its destination due to the protests, Hindustan Times reported.

Read: Pakistan lodges protest with India over bail of main accused in Samjhota Express tragedy

Further, the Indian newspaper reported farmers, demanding compensation for the destruction of their cotton crop by whitefly, have stopped a number of trains in Indian Punjab in protest.

The Samjhota Express, one of the two active rails links between the two countries, was bombed in February, 2007, resulting in the death of 42 people.

In 2011, Hindu extremist leader Swami Aseemanand had confessed that he was involved in several bombing incidents and also claimed to have been a part of the Samjhota Express train bombing.

Read: Pakistan lodges protest with India over cross border killing of woman along LoC

Earlier, this year Pakistan protested against India's recent decision not to oppose bail for the prime accused in the case.

This article originally appeared on Hindustan Times.