Barbed wires, water cannons await farmers at Delhi borders
New delhi: Barricades, water cannons, barbed wires, anti-riot equipment, sand-laden trucks and boulders awaited farmers in areas bordering Uttar Pradesh and Haryana as the Delhi Police beefed up security to prevent the massive "Dilli Chalo" protest march scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
Apart from bordering areas, bridges, flyovers and trains entering Delhi also witnessed high security due to which traffic snarls were reported from various parts of the city. "Deployment at borders will continue. We are keeping a strict watch in coordination with UP Police(Ghaziabad and Noida)," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Jasmeet Singh.
Sources said that several meetings were held among the top brass of Delhi Police regarding the deployment plan for the protests. In the last few days, Delhi Police has started checking buses to ensure that no protestors slip through.
On Thursday scenes at bordering areas, especially in Ghaziabad and Noida, were extremely chaotic. Delhi Police personnel were wearing anti-riot gears, water cannons were put in place, regular briefings were going on. Sand laden trucks were also stationed at the border to stop tractors being driven by the protesters. Also, drones have been deployed for security purposes.
As some of the farmers and protesters accumulated at the Delhi borders, sitting there in protest, a dramatic scene ensued with law enforcement on one side and farmers on the other. Many police officers disclosed albeit subtly, that they themselves were from farmer families.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava also visited bordering areas and took stock of the situation. He said permits for the protests had already been rejected and that farmers would be stopped at the borders.
"Traffic movement is closed from Bahadurgarh towards Delhi due to demonstration," Delhi Police said. In a tweet, Delhi Traffic Police tweeted "Singhu Border has been closed. Motorists should avoid Outer Ring Road, Mukarba Chowk, GTK Road, NH-44 & Singhu Border."
Meanwhile, traffic was heavy at both carriageway of Dhaula Kuan, Majnu Ka Tila, due to checking.
"For entering Delhi, protestors have brought train tickets. One such case was reported from Anand Vihar railway station, we noticed some protestors coming from the train and they were carrying tickets. We informed GRP about them," an RPF official said.
In addition, various student organisations and activist groups held protests in solidarity with the farmers' and workers' strike inside the Capital. According to police, 70 people were detained in local protests from areas like Jantar Mantar, including JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh.
While many people were detained from Jantar Mantar in the morning, others were detained from Sansad Marg and were taken to a local stadium in Hari Nagar.
Ranjeet Raina, leader of a farmers association in Haryana also surrendered to the Delhi police as a symbol of protest. "I appeal to my farmer friends to not do any kind of violence. This protest is a symbol and I want this message to reach the Home Ministry," he said.
