Delhi Chalo: Haryana Police fire tear gas to disperse protesting farmers

Haryana security personnel fired tear gas shells on Wednesday, 21 February, at protesting farmers headed towards the multi-layered barricades at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana.

According to local reports, many ran for cover after the Haryana Police lobbed tear gas canisters into their midst, first reported at around 11 a.m. There were reports of further use of tear gas too into the afternoon.

However, the farmers' movement leaders have been appealing to the protesters to remain peaceful.

The farmers — who are on a protest march to the national capital to highlight their demands, including a legal guarantee of a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops — are many of them equipped with gas masks, bulldozers and heavy machinery to force their way into into Haryana from Punjab.

Amid the ongoing ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation of farmers, Delhi and Gurugram Police had already beefed up security cordons and erected barriers on the Delhi–Gurugram borders on NH-48 this morning.

The Delhi Police had again resumed checks on vehicles entering Delhi and additional security personnel have been deployed. The result has been a slowing down of traffic on all expressways.

The Haryana Police have warned owners of earthmover machines and bulldozers against allowing their machines to be used in the protest, saying "you may be held criminally liable".

In a post on X, the police said these machines can be used to harm security forces, which is a non-bailable offence.

'Owners and operators of poclains and JCBs, please do not provide the services of our equipment to the protesters. Please withdraw these machines from the protest site. These machines may be used to cause harm to security forces, it's a non-bailable offence and you may be held criminally liable,' the police said.

A huge build-up of farmers from Punjab and Haryana has continued through the day on the borders of Haryana.

As a result of the blockades to deter the farmers' ‘Delhi Chalo' march, traffic jams were witnessed at entry and exit points between Delhi and Haryana on one side and between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh on the other. The police and paramilitary personnel equipped with anti-riot gear add to both the sense of unease and the slowing of traffic.

Massive traffic jams were also witnessed at key points within Delhi, including ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Rajokri, MG Road, Ashram and Mathura Road, as traffic was forced into detours, with the Tikri and Singhu borders being completely sealed by the Delhi Police.

“NH-44 beyond the Singhu border has been closed for general traffic. Other connected roads going towards NH-44 — Sonipat/Panipat are also affected,” said a senior traffic police official.

However, two lanes of NH-9 and one lane of NH-24 at the Ghazipur border are still open to the general public.

“Similarly two lanes of the DND are also open for (Delhi–Noida) commuters," the police sources said. "However, there is slow traffic movement. As such, commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly and avoid these stretches, especially during peak hours."

With IANS inputs