Section 144 clamped, security enhanced as farmers head for ‘mahapanchayat’ at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar

Farmers’ protest: Farmers’ union have been protesting against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and have been pressing for the arrest of Ashish Mishra, an accused named in the case.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Delhi Police have made strict security arrangements in the national capital
• Cemented barricades have been put up at the Delhi-Haryana Tikri border
• This comes a day after Rakesh Tikait was detained by the Delhi Police at the Ghazipur border

Farmers’ protest: Hundreds of farmers from different states reached Delhi amid heavy security arrangements to participate in a ‘mahapanchayat’ called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) at Jantar Mantar on Monday. SKM leaders claimed at some locations, farmers were being stopped from reaching Jantar Mantar, a claim denied by the Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, the police have tightened security in the national capital, especially at Delhi borders, including Singhu and Ghazipur, in wake of the ‘mahapanchayat’. The Delhi Police have put up cemented barricades and have tightened security at the Delhi-Haryana Tikri border.

Police said all vehicles entering the capital are being checked and police personnel are on ‘alert mode’.

According to the details, the Delhi Police have denied permission to protest at Jantar Mantar.

According to a statement by the DCP, the farmers’ union had sought a permit to protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday, however, the same was not granted due to the heavy rush.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 have been clamped in New Delhi.

In wake of the mahapanchayat, traffic movement may be affected in many parts of Delhi as the police have put up barricades at border points, they said.

In a tweet, the police asked motorists to avoid Tolstoy Marg, Sansad Marg, Janpath Road, Ashoka Road, Outer Circle Connaught Place, Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Pandit Pant Marg due to farmers’ mahapanchayat.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers’ groups are organising the congregation and they will pass through the outer district, which includes the Ghazipur border in Ghaziabad, officials said.

“In this connection, adequate deployment of local police and outside force has been made in outer district at Tikri border, major intersections, along railway tracks and metro stations to avoid any untoward incident,” a police official said.

This comes a day after farmer leader Rakesh Tikait was detained by the Delhi Police at the Ghazipur border while he was trying to enter the national capital to take part in the unemployment protest at Jantar Mantar.

He alleged the Delhi police was working at the behest of the Centre and did not allow him to meet the unemployed youth.

A Delhi Police official said Tikait, the national spokesperson for the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and a prominent face of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), was stopped at the border around afternoon.

News Sources – India Tv News