Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ protest at Chilla leads to traffic snarl

Noida: Following an attack on farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday evening in Rajasthan, a group of over 50 farmers from Bharatiya Kisan Union’s (BKU) Tikait faction blocked traffic at the Chilla border, leading to diversions and traffic snarls.According to a spokesperson of the faction, Tikait’s procession was attacked in Alwar district by unidentified persons. Several vehicles were damaged in the incident and one volunteer sustained injuries but Tikait managed to escape without any physical trauma. An FIR was registered in the case in Rajasthan and the police are working the case, the spokesperson said. Following the incident, Tikait supporters in several states protested at several locations, including Chilla border, Ghazipur, Singhu borders, etc. Traffic was blocked on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway for over two hours late Friday.In Noida, the protestors blocked traffic at the Chilla border around 8 pm. Appeals from Tikait finally had the protestors clear the roads and they left the area around 9pm. “The protest caused traffic snarls from the border to ahead of the Dalit Prerna Sthal. We diverted movement from the Sthal towards the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) loop completely by passing Chilla and the loop opening towards Chilla was closed. Delhi police was also turning the traffic back around,” said deputy commissioner of police, traffic, Ganesh Saha.Traffic police immediately shared updates with the public, urging them to use alternate routes of DND and Kalindi Kunj and the traffic begun to clear out by 9.30 pm.Noida police officials said that they are prepared to handle the situation in case protests continue.“The protestors blocked the traffic for a while before clearing out. Our teams are on alert,” said additional deputy commissioner of police, zone 1, Kumar Rannvijay Singh.Police said that chances of the protestors returning are minimal but teams will remain vigilant just in case.The border had earlier remained closed from December 1 to January 27 during the farmer protest against new farm laws of the central government.

Hindustan Times

03-04-2021

Noida