Amidst the looming threat of the farmers’ ”Delhi Chalo March”, the Delhi Police has significantly heightened security measures at Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders. In a bid to deter protesters from entering the city, nails have been installed along with barricades, aimed at puncturing the tires of vehicles carrying demonstrators, officials revealed on Sunday.
Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora conducted an inspection of various borders between Haryana-Delhi and Uttar Pradesh-Delhi alongside police officials to assess the security arrangements. Over 5,000 security personnel have been deployed, and cranes and earthmovers with large containers have been stationed to block the roads effectively.
Multiple security barricades have already been erected at the borders to impede the entry of farmers into the national capital. Nails have been strategically placed on the roads to thwart any attempt by protesters to breach the barricades using vehicles.
Furthermore, several teams have been mobilized to maintain strict vigilance at bus stands, metro stations, railway stations, and roads to prevent farmers from entering the city through alternative modes of transportation.
Farmers’ associations, primarily from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab, have announced plans for a protest on February 13, demanding legislation guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, a condition they had stipulated when withdrawing their agitation in 2021.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been imposed in the northeast district of Delhi to uphold law and order.
The ‘Delhi Chalo March’, organized by around 200 farmers’ unions and a substantial number of farmers, is scheduled to converge on the national capital on February 13 from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab.
The imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC aims to preempt any breach of law and order, as farmers are expected to stage sit-ins at the borders of Delhi until their demands are met.
Given the past behavior of farmers during protests, characterized by defiance and determination, the authorities anticipate mobilization activities from various districts to Delhi, potentially involving tractors, trolleys, and arms. Therefore, the precautionary imposition of Section 144 is deemed necessary to safeguard lives and property in the area.
The directive prohibits the gathering of the general public at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and neighboring areas in the northeast district. It also bars the entry of vehicles carrying protesters from Uttar Pradesh, including tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, and personal vehicles, into Delhi.
The order instructs the northeast district police to take all necessary measures to prevent protesters from entering Delhi and prohibits individuals from bearing arms, including firearms, swords, tridents, spears, and rods.
The police force is in close coordination with counterparts in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh to ascertain the number of farmers’ organizations participating in the protest and anticipate the scale of the march. Stringent security plans, including multi-layered checkpoints and proper vehicle inspections, have been devised to maintain law and order and ensure public safety.
