Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ protest: Haryana Police dig trenches to block the path of protesters

Thousands of protesting farmers marching towards Delhi have been facing several hurdles while crossing the police barricades on the Chandigarh-Delhi national highway. The Haryana Police used military tactics—digging trenches at Samalkha, Haldana border, Sonepat, Murthal and Kundli border—to block the path of the protesting farmers.The Haryana Police had installed a 7-foot-tall barricade on the Delhi-Rohtak highway at the Rohad toll plaza, but farmers managed to cross it by breaking it from one side. The state police have stationed sand-laden trucks and water cannons as well as tear gas shells to stop the protesters from proceeding further. Also Read: Farmers’ protest: Delhi govt rejects police request to convert stadiums into temporary prisonsHowever, Delhi Police have used barbed wire to fence the Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana to stop the farmers’ entry into the national capital. Farmers have been unable to cross the multiple layers of fencing and are sitting on dharna nearly 100 metres away from the Singhu border waiting for more groups of farmers to join them before confronting the cops.A senior Sonepat Police officer, seeking anonymity, said the police brought trucks laden with sand at Murthal, near Education City in Sonepat, Murthal and Kundli border.“ We used water cannons and installed barricades but were unable to stop the farmers from moving forward. The protesters are moving in large numbers and some of them throw stones at the policemen during confrontation,” the officer added.A Jhajjar Police officer, who also wished to remain anonymous, told HT that farmers came in large numbers on Friday morning and crossed the Rohad toll plaza despite the 7-foot-tall barrier by breaking some of it.“The protesters broke the windows of the water cannon vehicle and crossed the plaza. Due to their large numbers, we have no option but to let them through,” the officer added.The police have used water cannons and tear gas shells at Tikri and Sinhgu borders twice and famers have started a dharna in Haryana territory near the border.Rakesh Bains, media in-charge of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) said the stand-off between the police and farmers is continuing at Singhu and Tikri border.“ We will cross this hurdle also to reach Delhi. We will wait for an hour here and cross the Sanghu border after other farmers joins us. The police dug up holes to prevent us from reaching Delhi. Our brave farmers crossed every barricade, water cannon, tear gas shells to reach here. Many farmers diverted their route through villages to reach here. The Haryana government has shown that it is against the farmers,” he added.

Hindustan Times

27-11-2020

City