Farmers’ protest: After Tikri, now Singhu border completely sealed, traffic diverted

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) After Tikri, the Delhi Police completely sealed the Singhu border on Tuesday evening with barricades and heavy deployment of forces, including paramilitary personnel.

This move comes amid reports of farmers clashing with the police at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border and in Haryana's Jind District on Tuesday, leaving around 13 people injured.

“The Singhu Border is not accessible and there is traffic diversion at Mukarba Chowk. So, vehicles at Mukarba Chowk intending to go to Haryana can divert towards Loni Border or towards Madhuban Chowk onwards to Ring Road,” said a senior police officer.

On Tuesday morning, massive traffic jams were witnessed at the entry and exit points of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as police and paramilitary personnel equipped with anti-riot gear placed multiple layers of barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails and walls of containers in view of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by the farmers.

On Tuesday morning, police had allowed movement of traffic on a single carriageway on both sides of the road at Tikri and Singhu borders.

To stop the farmers from entering the national Capital, police teams along with the RAF, SSB and CAPF have been deployed on Delhi borders, including at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur.

Cement blocks and pickets with nails have been installed on the approach roads.

Delhi Police on Monday invoked Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) citywide and fortified the borders as a precautionary measure.

Delhi Police Commissioner, Sanjay Arora, has issued these directives for the next 30 days.

Meanwhile, Red Fort has also been temporarily closed for visitors.

A total of 114 companies, including 64 from the paramilitary forces and 50 from the Haryana Police, have been deployed across various districts.

Additionally, surveillance technologies such as drones and CCTV cameras are being utilised to monitor any disruptive activities.

--IANS

ssh/rad