The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has temporarily suspended internet services at the Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders, where farmers have been protesting against the new agri laws, an official said on Saturday.

Apart from the three borders of Delhi, internet services will remain suspended in their adjoining areas too.This will be effective from 11 pm of January 29 to 11 pm of January 31, the official said.

The decision has been taken to “maintain public safety and averting public emergency” under Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules 2017, the official said.

In a notification quoted by NDTV, the home ministry said, “...it is necessary and expedient to order the temporary suspension of internet services in the areas of Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri, and their adjoining areas in the NCT of Delhi from 11 pm on January 29 to 11 pm on January 31.”

On Friday, the Haryana government has also suspended internet services in as many as 17 districts till 5 pm.

These restrictions come after January 26, when large scale violence was reported during the farmers’ tractor rally, internet services were temporarily suspended in some parts of Delhi.

The tractor parade on Tuesday that was to highlight the demand of the protesting farmer unions for a repeal of three new agriculture laws turned violent as the protesters deviated from the pre-designated routes, attacked police personnel, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag on the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort.

The police issued lookout notices against farmer leaders on Thursday and announced a probe into the “conspiracy” behind the Republic Day violence.

The police have so far registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence and issued lookout notices against 44 people, including most of the farmer leaders.