Farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal were detained by Punjab Police while heading to protest sites at Shambhu and Khanauri. Heavy police deployment raises concerns as talks with the Centre remain inconclusive.
Several prominent farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were detained by Punjab Police on Wednesday while they were en route to protest sites at Shambhu and Khanauri following an inconclusive meeting with a central delegation in Chandigarh, a farmer leader claimed.
Heavy police deployment raises concerns
Farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat expressed fears that Punjab Police might forcibly evict protesters from the two key demonstration sites on the Punjab-Haryana border. Reports indicate a heavy police presence, with barricades set up to prevent farmers from reaching their destinations.
Apart from Pandher and Dallewal, Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra, and Manjit Singh Rai were also detained. Additionally, ambulances, buses, and firefighting vehicles have been stationed near the protest sites, raising further tensions.
Talks with Centre remain inconclusive
Earlier in the day, a fresh round of discussions between farmer leaders and a central delegation in Chandigarh failed to yield results. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that the government remains committed to farmers’ interests and that discussions will continue, with the next meeting scheduled for May 4.
“The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. The discussions were positive and constructive. Talks will continue, and the next meeting is set for May 4,” Chouhan stated after the three-hour-long meeting.
Meanwhile, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have continued their protests at Shambhu and Khanauri since February last year. Police forces from multiple districts have now been deployed near these border points, further escalating the situation.
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