Chandigarh: The protesting farmers on Saturday suspended their “Delhi chalo” foot-march to Delhi for the day after at least 17 of them suffered injuries in the teargas shelling by Haryana police at the Shambhu border protest site on Delhi-Amritsar national highway (NH 44) near here.
Stating that the “jatha” (group) comprising 101 protesting farmers had been called back after the security forces lobbed teargas shells and used water cannons on their peaceful foot-march, farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that at least 17 sustained injuries, several of whom were hospitalised.
Giving a call to the farm unions of other states to take out tractor march in their respective states on December 16, Pandher said that while they would not undertake any protest march from Shambhu and Khanauri borders till December 18, the farmers would stage “rail roko’’ protests in some parts of Punjab from 12 (noon) till 3 pm on December 18.
`FARMER ATTEMPTS TO END LIFE’
Meanwhile, a farmer, Jodh Singh, who was among the protesters and not a part of “jatha” at Shambhu barrier reportedly attempted to end his life by consuming some Celphos tablet, claimed a farm leader Tejveer Singh while another leader Manjit Singh Rai alleged that the police had also fired rubber bullets on the farmers.
Meanwhile, Olympian wrestler-turned politician Bajrang Punia also reached Shambhu border to support farmers’ stir.
Stating that the farmers’ march was stopped in the wake of Supreme Court’s order of maintaining status quo and even as the farmers also did not have permission to protest in Delhi. The police held that they used teargas shells and water cannons after some farmers tried to break the police barricades. The police added that the farmers were also requested to wait till December 18 when a committee appointed by the top court was scheduled to submit its report before the top court.
Meanwhile, the Haryana authorities have also suspended internet services in 12 Ambala villages till Dec 17.
It may be recalled that it was the third attempt by the farmers to march towards Delhi – the earlier being on December 6 and 8 – to press for their various demands including MSP for crops, debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, withdrawal of police cases, justice for victims of 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, besides others.
