Two days after a bloody clash between policemen and farmers, uneasy calm prevailed in Bhatta-Parsaul.
Amid a curfew-like situation, the police have begun preparing "special cards" to be issued to villagers of Bhatta, Parsaul and Achhepur and adjoining hamlets. The cards will contain names, ages, addresses, occupations and other details of each resident.
"A list of youths is being prepared separately. The idea is to keep track of people and their activities in such a manner that it will help us prevent violence," said a senior officer.
All vehicles were subjected to security checks and even mediapersons were not allowed inside the villages.
A two-km-radius area has been sealed, he added. Police continued its search for farmer leader Manveer Singh Tewatia and his associates at Bhatta-Parsaul and adjoining villages. People did not venture out with about 5,000 security personnel having blanketed the entire area.
Policemen carried out raids in adjoining villages and went on a rampage at houses suspected to be supporting the farmer leaders. "It may surprise many to know that we believe farmers were trained, maybe for a short duration. It wasn't a spontaneous attack," a senior officer said.