ROHTAK, June 22 -- A 36-day-long agitation by residents of Hansi's Chainat village ended late Saturday night after the state government reportedly accepted the protesters' key demand of supplying Bhakra canal water to the village through the same drinking water pipeline being laid for Hansi city.

The breakthrough came amid reports that the Congress was planning to bring the leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to the protest site, to make it a major political issue.

The task of negotiating with the villagers was reportedly entrusted to Somesh Kumar, former president of the Haryana Sarpanch Association. According to the villagers, Somesh's intervention paved the way for ending the month-long protest.

Hansi deputy commissione...