2,200 booked in Palwal for breaking barricades, trying to move to Delhi through Faridabad

The Palwal Police on Wednesday booked 2,200 people for allegedly trying to break through their barricades on Republic Day, in an attempt to reach Delhi, where the tractor rally had already turned violent

Published on: Jan 27, 2021, 22:59:57 IST

By Leena Dhankhar, Gurugram

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The Palwal Police on Wednesday booked 2,200 people for allegedly trying to break through their barricades on Republic Day, in an attempt to reach Delhi, where the tractor rally had already turned violent. Faridabad district authorities have also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, preventing assembly of five or more persons at one place.

More than 30 farmers from Faridabad and Palwal who have been identified from video recordings were served notices to join the ongoing investigation, said police.

Deepak Gahlawat, superintendent of police, Palwal, said that a route was designated for the protesters to carry out a tractor rally on Tuesday and the same had been conveyed to them. He said that they did not follow the given route and instead took the stretch connecting to Delhi, due to which the police resorted to lathicharge.

“Groups of protesters drove their tractors dangerously and tried to break barricades to force their way into Delhi through a non-designated route at Palwal-Faridabad border on the Agra-Mathura-Delhi Highway, endangering the lives of police personnel on duty,” he said.

“We had given them an option to use the 60-kilometre stretch of Kundli–Ghaziabad–Palwal Expressway and had directed them to use the route after taking a right turn from Faridabad’s Sector 58. However, they were adamant on using the other route, towards Delhi, for which permission could not be granted,” Gahlawat said.

Sub-inspector Hanish Khan, investigating officer of Gadpuri police station in Palwal, where the case was registered, said that protesters on 350 to 400 tractors turned violent. They allegedly broke through barricades and containers, and blocked the national highway between 11.30am and noon, near Softa village in Gadpuri.

“The protestors tried to enter Faridabad district and move towards Delhi, but were stopped by the police by using tear gas, water cannons and lathicharge. It took almost an hour to control the situation and we later held a meeting with the protesters, following which they calmed down and agreed to return to Palwal,” he said.

The police registered a case against the protesters on Tuesday under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 307 (attempt to murder), and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as Section 8 of the National Highways Act.

A few police personnel and farmers were allegedly injured in the incident, while two senior police officers had a narrow escape. Faridabad and Palwal police have increased deployment at borders connecting to Delhi.

The police are also scanning drone recordings, CCTV cameras, videography and pictures to identify the suspects and arrest them

Yashpal Yadav, Faridabad’s deputy commissioner, said that under Section 144 of the CrPC, gatherings of five or more than five people, carrying sticks, iron rods, axe, swords or any kind of firearms is prohibited. “We are taking precautionary measures after the incident on Tuesday due to the apprehension of tension, damage to public property and loss of life,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More