Delhi on high alert, Section 144 imposed ahead of farmers’ protest
text_fields
New Delhi: Prohibitory orders under section 144, which bars large gatherings, were imposed in the northeast district of the national capital on Sunday ahead of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo March' on February 13, an official said.
A large number of farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab are expected to march towards the national capital on Tuesday under their 'Delhi Chalo March' organised by around 200 farmer unions.
"We have imposed Section 144 of the CrPC (prohibitory orders). Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on February 13 for their demands of law on MSP. No one will be allowed to breach law and order situation," according to an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey.
The order said the farmers are likely to protest at Delhi borders till their demands are met.
"Keeping in view the kind of behaviour and adamant approach farmers showed during protests in the past, there is a possibility of mobilisation/activities of farmers/supporters from their respective districts to Delhi along with Tractor/Trolleys/Arms. Farmers will also come from Haryana, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, MP and other possible area," it said.
A precautionary order of section 144 is required to be issued to save life and property in the area, avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order, the communication said.
"There are five different points in the order like -- prohibit the gathering of the general public at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas in the jurisdictional area of northeast District. Prohibit entering of tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, or horses etc, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh.
"Order that the northeast district police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi. The order that no person or protestor shall be allowed to bear arms, including firearms, swords, trishul, spears, lathi, rods and the police shall make all efforts to detain these persons on the spot. Order that any person found to be acting in contravention to this order shall be liable to be punished under section 188 of the IPC," said the DCP.
Bracing for the agitation, police are fortifying Delhi's border with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana with barricades and by deploying more than 5,000 security personnel.
On Thursday, farmers from Uttar Pradesh went on a sit-in demonstration on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway as police blocked their protest march to Delhi, resulting in massive traffic chaos.
Several farmer associations, mostly from UP, Haryana and Punjab, have called for the protest on February 13 to demand a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price for their produce, one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation in 2021.
"We are in contact with our counterparts in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh to know that how many farmers organisations will join the protest and number of expected people. We have proper arrangements to deal with any law and order situation," said a senior Delhi Police officer.
"Proper security plan has already been chalked out. Borders will have multi-layer security checkpoints. Vehicles entering the national capital will be checked properly. We had already installed barricades at different borders of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Police personnel will be in anti-riot gear," said the police officer.
With PTI inputs
