Farmers Movement Archive

After Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Ghaziabad police shuts UP-Gate

In the aftermath of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence which led to death of eight persons including four protesting farmers on Sunday, the Ghaziabad police on Monday shutdown UP-Gate border with Delhi as a precautionary measure. The UP-Gate is a major protest venue for farmers opposed to the Central farm laws and the Ghaziabad-Delhi carriageway of the Delhi Meerut Expressway, passing through the site, has remained close since December last year. Farmers’ leaders from UP-Gate rushed to Lakhimpur Kheri after four farmers, who were among a group protesting against the Central farm laws, were allegedly mowed down by a convoy of vehicles linked with a Union minister on Saturday evening. Police say in retaliation, farmers beat four occupants of one of the vehicles in the convoy to death. The incident has led to hightened tensions and generated of a lot of political heat over the matter. Farmers protesting at the UP Gate too were reported anguished at the developments. The Ghaziabad police said movement of traffic on Delhi-Ghaziabad carriageway has been stopped as a precautionary measure. “We have shut down the expressway with the help of barricades and it has been done to maintain law and order. The barricading will continue, and we will take stock of the situation before removing them. Commuters can enter Ghaziabad using the Anand Vihar-Kaushambi border and there is no restriction there. Our teams are in touch with the protesting farmers at UP-Gate and the situation is peaceful,” said Gyanendra Kumar Singh, superintendent of police (city 2). The Delhi traffic police have also issued an alert about the closure of National Highway 9 and the Delhi Meerut Expressway at the UP-Gate. The farmers in Ghaziabad, on a call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, will also gather at the district headquarters to protest against the death of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. “Many of our leaders including Rakesh Tikait and others are already there in Kheri and here we are keeping an eye over the developments. There is a sense of anger among protesting farmers here, but we have asked them to remain peaceful. Our Dharna at district headquarters will start soon,” said Rajbir Singh, state vice-president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). Also Read: Punjab CM seeks permission to go to Lakhmipur Kheri, 6 taken into custodyThe farmers have been protesting at the UP-Gate since November last year, demanding rollback of the three farm laws and passage of a new law to strengthen the minimum support price (MSP) regime. As national highway number 24 and 9 have been closed because of farmers’ protests over Lakhimpur Kheri deaths, the Delhi Traffic police have made some traffic diversions for motorists travelling between Delhi and Ghaziabad through the UP Gate and issued an advisory. As per the advisory, motorists coming from Sarai Kale Khan have been asked to use Vikas Marg via road numbers 57 A and 56 to reach Anand Vihar, from where they can take the Ghazipur paper market stretch to enter Ghaziabad. A traffic police officer said motorists going towards Ghaziabad are being allowed to use the Delhi-Meerut Expressway till Ghazipur roundabout and are then diverted towards Anand Vihar railway station road. The carriageways of the expressway coming towards Delhi are closed since November last year due to the farmers’ protest at the UP Gate. (with inputs from Karn Pratap Singh)

Hindustan Times

04-10-2021

India