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Farmers’ stir: Uneasy calm prevails at Shambhu, Khanauri
At the Shambhu border, elderly farmers were seen forming a human chain to prevent youngsters from marching ahead. Besides this, volunteers were deployed, and time-to-time announcements were being made, to stop the youngsters from breaching the human chain.
After two days of violent clashes between agitating farmers and security personnel, an uneasy calm prevailed at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana as the farmer leaders went for a third round of talks with the Centre on Thursday.
The farmers who had gathered at the borders said that their leaders had asked them to stay calm until the meeting with Union ministers in Chandigarh concludes.
At the Shambhu border, elderly farmers were seen forming a human chain to prevent youngsters from marching ahead. Besides this, volunteers were deployed, and time-to-time announcements were being made, to stop the youngsters from breaching the human chain.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening, Ambala deputy commissioner (DC) Shaleen said there was no provocative action by the protesters on Thursday, so no tear gas shells were fired. Sources, however, said that a couple of shells were fired late in the evening after a Nihang Sikh got close to the barricades despite repeated warnings.
A Haryana official on duty at Shambhu border said, “The volunteers on Punjab side did a great job. They were seen controlling the aggressive youth, who were pelting stones at the forces over the past two days. This resulted in restraint from our side too and no shells were fired.”
Swaran Singh Pandher, a senior farmer leader, said, “We don’t want violence. We want to resolve the matter through dialogue. The government has already invited us for talks, therefore, there was no point in clashing with police personnel.”
Meanwhile, Bhartiya Kisan Naujawan union’s Haryana convener Abhimanyu Kohar said the agitation will pick steam in the coming days.
“Over 70 farmers got injured in the last two days at Khanauri border. Many farmers have been detained in Haryana and raids are being conducted in villages to stop farmers from stepping out of their homes. The agitation will gain momentum in Haryana in the next two days and Haryana farmers will play a larger role,” he said.
Haryana assures no more use of drone-dropped tear gas: Patiala DC
Patiala deputy commissioner (DC) Showkat Ahmed on Thursday said that his Amabala counterpart had assured him that drones won’t be used to drop tear-gas shells into Punjab territory. “I have received a communication from Ambala DC, and I have been assured that no more tear gas shells will be dropped via drones,” said Patiala DC.
However, as per the sources, Haryana government has said that drones would be used for surveillance purposes to maintain law-and-order situation.
Haryana farmers to sit on toll plazas for three hours tomorrow
On a call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), farmers will lay siege to Haryana toll plazas from noon to 3pm and let vehicles to pass free-of-cost. SKM senior leader Inderjit Singh said, “We will block highways for three hours and the SKM will hold a meeting on February 18 to take a call on the ongoing agitation.” The non-teaching staff of the Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) announced to suspend their work on Friday in solidarity with the unions’ call for Bharat bandh. MDU students also took out a march in support of the farmers.
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3 farmer leaders from Haryana sent to judicial custody
Meanwhile, three farmer leaders -- Akshay Narwal, Praveen and Virender Singh, who were arrested by the Jind police on February 13 under charges of attempt-to-murder and rioting, were sent to 14-day police custody.
The trio was part of the Punjab farmers’ group that was heading to Khanauri border.
“The mob, led by Abhimanyu Kohar and Lakha Sidhana, was carrying sharp-edged weapons and they pelted stones on cops, resulting in many cops sustaining injuries. Three men- Akshay Narwal, Praveen and Virender Singh, who were part of the mob were arrested,” the police said in the FIR.
Akshay’s brother Ajay Narwal said, “The Haryana police is suppressing the farmers’ voice and booking them in false cases. My brother and his group were going to the Datta Singhwala-Khanauri border to protest peacefully.”
The Facebook and X accounts of farmer leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Abhimanyu Kohar were suspended by the government.
