101 farmers begin foot march to Delhi, stopped at Shambu border

Shambhu, Dec 6: A 'jatha' of 101 farmers on Friday began its foot march to Delhi from their protest site at Shambhu border but was stopped a few metres away by a multilayered barricading.

The security personnel used teargas as some farmers reached the barricades put up on the Haryana side of the Shambhu border.

Haryana Police asked the farmers not to proceed further and cited a prohibitory order clamped under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The Ambala district administration has banned any unlawful assembly of five or more persons in the district.

The farmers are marching to force the Centre for a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.

A few farmers holding farmers' unions' flags pushed the iron mesh, put up by the security personnel, down the bridge constructed over the Ghaggar River.

The Haryana government on Friday suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS service in 11 villages of Ambala district till December 9.

The ban was enforced in Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Lhars, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Saddopur, Sultanpur, and Kakru villages of Ambala at Friday noon.

The farmers, gathered under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been demanding the Centre give them a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.

They have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

The 'jatha' began its march at 1 pm but after covering a few metres, they were forced to stop near a multi-layered barricading erected by the Haryana government.

Chanting 'Satnam Waheguru', holding farmers' unions' flags, and carrying essential items, the 'jatha' crossed the initial layer barricades easily but could not proceed further.

A few farmers pushed the iron mesh and barbed wire, and others even uprooted iron nails from the road – National Highway-44.

Security personnel, who were standing behind the cemented barricades with iron grills set up for protection, were seen asking farmers not to move ahead as they did not have permission.