Delhi Police block roads, steps up security at borders ahead of farmers’ protest

PTI, Feb 12, 2024, 8:15 AM IST

Security personnel deployed at Ghazipur border in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo March', in New Delhi, Sunday. (Credit: PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Ahead of farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo March’, the Delhi Police has intensified security arrangements at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders and installed nails along with barricades to prevent vehicles carrying protesters from entering the city, officials said on Sunday.

Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora visited different borders of Haryana-Delhi and Uttar Pradesh-Delhi with police officials to check security arrangements.

Police have deployed more than 5,000 security personnel while cranes and earthmovers carrying large containers to block the road were also at work.

Multiple security barricades have already been installed at the borders to stop the farmers from entering the national capital. Nails have been erected on roads so that if the protesting farmers try to enter the city on vehicles, their tyres can be punctured, the officials said.

Several teams have been formed to keep strict vigil on bus stands, metro stations, railway stations and roads to ensure that farmers do not enter the city using any other mode of conveyance.

Farmers associations, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, have called for another protest on February 13 to demand a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation in 2021.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been enforced in the northeast district of Delhi to maintain law and order.

The ‘Delhi Chalo March’ organised by around 200 farmers’ unions and a large number of farmers is expected to reach the national capital on February 13 from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.

“We have imposed Section 144 of the CrPC (prohibitory orders). Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on February 13 for their demands of a law on MSP. No one will be allowed to breach law and order situation,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey said in an order.

The order further said the farmers are likely to sit on the borders of Delhi till their demands are met.

“Keeping in view, the kind of behaviour and adamant approach farmers showed during protests in the past, there is a possibility of mobilization/activities of farmers/supporters from their respective districts to Delhi along with tractor/trolleys/arms. Farmers will also come from Haryana, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, MP and other possible areas. And whereas, in order to avoid any untoward incident and to maintain law and order, a precautionary order of Section 144 is required to be issued to save the life and property in the area,” read the order.

The order directs the prohibition of gathering of general public at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas in the jurisdictional area of northeast district.

It also prohibits entering of tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, or horses etc, carrying protesters in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh.

The order directs the northeast district police to make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi.

It says no person or protestor shall be allowed to bear arms, including firearms, swords, trishul, spears, lathi, rods and the police shall make all efforts to detain these persons on the spot.

“We are in contact with our counterparts in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to know how many farmers’ organisations will join the protest and the number of people expected to participate in the march. We have proper arrangements to deal with any law and order situation,” said another senior police officer.

“Proper security plan has already been chalked out. The borders will have multi-layered security check points. Vehicles entering the national capital will be checked properly. We had already installed barricades at different borders of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Police personnel will be equipped with anti-riot gears,” he added.