The Delhi Police on Thursday deployed a huge number of its personnel in the border area in view of the farmers’ march to the national capital opposing central farm laws, while all vehicles entering the state were being checked.
According to the police, five sand-laden trucks have been stationed at the Singhu border to prevent tractors being driven by protesters. Drones were also deployed for security reasons.
Officials informed that all pickets have been made active but clarified that borders have not been sealed yet.
The Delhi Metro trains connecting the neighbouring cities in the NCR could not cross the national capital border till 2 pm as per an initial decision on Thursday, but the services remained suspended even after that, officials said.
As such, metro service was not available from Anand Vihar to Vaishali, New Ashok Nagar to Noida City Centre and between Sultanpur and Guru Dronacharya stations sections during the period.
Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava took stock of the border areas during his visit in the region.
"Due to COVID-19, guidelines have been issued in which political gathering is not permitted here and for this, their (the farmers') request was rejected. If they still make an attempt, we have deployed personnel at the borders to not let them enter the national capital. We are also in contact with Punjab and Haryana Police," he said.
Asked about commuters facing inconvenience, the Delhi Police chief said, "Since they (protesting farmers) have already blocked the nation highway, there are going to be some problems, but we will try to sort it out as soon as possible... Instead of coming to the national capital, they (farmers) should go back and do not break any guideline."
On Wednesday, Delhi Police said it had not accepted requests from various farmers outfits to protest in the city on these dates. It had, on Tuesday, said legal actions will be taken against anyone who comes to Delhi to gather amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Earlier, the Shambhu interstate border witnessed spiralling tension as Haryana Police used water cannons and teargas to disperse thousands of them amid a cold wave, who in turn chucked some barricades into a river. The farmers were trying to enter the state, determined to make their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march successful.
Announcements on loudspeakers by the police could be heard, asking the farmers who assembled at the Punjab side of the border to disperse. Before long, smoke from the teargas clouded the air as uniformed security personnel milled sound, while the protesters stood up on their trucks. Television footage showed some bricks lying on the road as well.
In an attempt to stop farmers from marching to Delhi, Haryana has completely sealed its borders while multi-level barricades were put up at several places.
On Wednesday, too, the police resorted to water cannons when a large group of Haryana farmers near Mohra village in Ambala jumped over barricades.
A splinter group however, managed to proceed to Tiyora-Tiyori village on the Ambala-Kurukshetra border, where police again used water cannons to stop their march to Delhi.
Punjab farmers, representing over 30 farm bodies, have announced they will go to Delhi through several routes -- Lalru, Shambhu, Patiala-Pehowa, Patran-Khanauri, Moonak-Tohana, Ratia-Fatehabad and Talwandi-Sirsa. Tension was escalating at all the border points.
They are demanding the repeal of the new farm laws,, which they should be replaced with another set of laws framed after wider consultation with stakeholders. They also want a guarantee on the minimum support prices (MSP).
