24 Policemen, 60 Protestors Injured in Confrontations at Punjab-Haryana Border Points
New Delhi: Farmers from Punjab clashed with Haryana police on Tuesday as they attempted to march towards Delhi to press their demands, resulting in clashes at two border points between the states. The clashes saw the use of tear gas, water cannons, and stone pelting, leaving numerous injured on both sides.
According to officials, 24 police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, sustained injuries as protesters hurled stones at them. In response, police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to over 60 demonstrators.
The clashes occurred at the Shambhu border, near Haryana's Ambala city, and at the Data Singhwala-Khanauri border in the state's Jind district. Despite several hours of confrontation, farmer leaders eventually called off the protest for the day, announcing their intention to resume the march from Shambhu on Wednesday.
The protest, organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, seeks to pressure the Centre on various demands, including legislation guaranteeing minimum support prices for crops and loan waivers.
In response to the unrest, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda urged farmer groups to engage in structured discussions with the government. However, talks between the government and farmer bodies in Chandigarh on Monday remained inconclusive.
The Punjab and Haryana high court issued notices to the Centre and the states of Haryana and Punjab in response to petitions related to the march, highlighting the legal dimensions of the protest.
The clashes underscore growing tensions surrounding the farmers' agitation and the challenges faced by both protesters and law enforcement agencies. Despite assurances of peaceful demonstrations, the clashes serve as a reminder of the volatility surrounding the contentious issue of agricultural reform in India.