A group of 101 farmers attempting to march towards Delhi on Friday was stopped by Haryana Police near the Ghaggar river bridge at Shambhu border. The protestors, who had started their march around 1 PM from their site at Shambhu border, faced strong resistance from security forces, who had set up multi-layered barricades to prevent their movement.
The farmers managed to remove metal deterrents and spikes but were unable to breach the concrete jersey barriers. In response, security forces briefly fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Despite this, the farmers continued their protest on the bridge for about an hour, demanding to be allowed to proceed with their march to Delhi.
Authorities cited prohibitory orders in Ambala district and stated that the farmers lacked permission to protest in Delhi or camp in Haryana on their way. When appeals from the police went unheard, tear gas was used to control the crowd.
Earlier in the day, the Haryana government had suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in 11 villages of Ambala district until December 9, citing concerns over public order and potential disturbances caused by the farmers’ march. The affected villages include Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Lhars, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Saddopur, Sultanpur, and Kakru. The suspension of services was imposed starting noon on Friday.
The farmers are demanding a fair Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce as they march towards Delhi, a demonstration that has sparked heightened security measures in the region.
