Cannons..tear gas..thousands thronging…barged barricades..these were the scenes at Ambala, New Delhi border on Thursday with farmers from Haryana and Punjab farmers ‘Dilli Chalo’ march, a two-day protest over the central government’s new farm laws.
Farmers from over 30 Punjab and Haryana farm organisations marched towards the national capital in tractors, trolleys and other vehicles to take part in the protest. Tensions ran high with farmers barging the barricades installed by thousands of police and paramilitary forces deployed at the outskirts.
The situation got tense at the Shambu inter-state border on the national highway as protesting farmers threw police barricades off the bridge into the Ghaggar river. Police resorted to using water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the farmers.
The police again used teargas shells. The farmers pushed ahead in tractors, trying to force police vans to retreat. Delhi Metro will be cut off from the NCR towns till 2 pm on Thursday as services will be stopped 2-3 stations from the borders because of the rally planned by farmers.
“If despite our appeal they turn up in Delhi, then the required legal action will be taken against them,” the DCP said. Delhi Police even took to social media to make farmers aware of the restrictions and refusal to their requests.
