10 men, many walkie-talkies, one open-top jeep:How one group keeps Singhu secure

While it is the farmers who are providing the security arrangement, the vehicle — that bears a Delhi registration number plate — belongs to Gurdeep Singh Sidhu, of Bhogpur in Punjab’s Jalandhar.

From dealing with suspected pickpockets to rushing the sick into ambulances, and from patrolling the congested seven-kilometre long farmers’ protest site to clearing traffic along this stretch, a group of 10 men wielding walkie-talkies and driving an open-top jeep say they are in charge of security at Singhu Border.

Farmers shout slogans during the ongoing protest against the new farm laws, at the Singhu border in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo )

On Thursday, when hundreds of farmers took out a tractor march, this security vehicle played an important role, the men manning it said. “We travelled alongside the tractors and repeatedly went back and forth to ensure no queues were broken and the farmers were not undisciplined,” says Mandeep Singh Gill, one of the security men, breaking away routinely to hear the audio on his walkie-talkie.

The “security team” has left no stone unturned to make their presence felt at the site. A large LED board atop the jeep continuously rolls out the words ‘Security Patrol’ in English, and the farmers manning the security vehicle used loudspeakers and hooters to announce their arrival.

While it is the farmers who are providing the security arrangement, the vehicle — that bears a Delhi registration number plate — belongs to Gurdeep Singh Sidhu, of Bhogpur in Punjab’s Jalandhar.

“I was using the jeep as a private vehicle in Jalandhar. But soon after farmers began assembling here, I knew there would be security issues, and I donated my vehicle temporarily for use as a security patrol,” Sidhu said.

The security team works around the clock, he says, patrolling the stretch multiple times. “Farmers across the stretch have the phone numbers of the security team and give them a call at the slightest hint of trouble,” he said.

In recent weeks, the group said, they have saved the lives of at least three farmers who fell seriously ill and had to be rushed to an ambulance. “We would load them in the vehicle and zoom through the congested route to reach the nearest ambulance. Since most farmers know about us, they quickly make way to facilitate our movement,” Gill says.

The toughest job, however, these security men say, is clearing traffic for movement of essential vehicles through the maze of other parked vehicles and the tents set up here.

“Since we are fully aware of the entire route, we are able to reach any such point quickly. A few weeks here has taught us how to clear the traffic,” said Gill.

In the daytime, as many as six security men patrol in this vehicle. At nights, usually just two or three men make the rounds.

While the Delhi Police is stationed at one end of the protest site of the Singhu Border, they have maintained a safe distance and do not venture amidst the farmers. Much of the protest site falls in the jurisdiction of Haryana, but the Haryana police are also only guarding the outer areas and do not mix up with protesting farmers.