Security beefed up in Punjab, Haryana owing to farmers' protest call
Chandigarh, Feb 8 (IANS) In view of the call given by the farmers to hold a march towards Parliament next week, their Punjab and Haryana Police forces on Thursday beefed up the security in the respective states, including border areas, to prevent untoward incidents, officials said.
"Heavy traffic is expected on the highways leading to the national capital from Punjab and Haryana this weekend," a police official told IANS here.
Farmer organisations of both states have announced to march towards the Parliament building on February 13 to press the Centre for accepting their demands, including a law to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for crops, compensation to the next kin of farmers who died in the previous protest on the borders of Delhi, and crop insurance.
As a preventive measure, paramilitary forces would be deployed along with the police and special barricades have been installed on the entry points between Punjab and Haryana and Haryana and Delhi, said the official.
Ahead of the planned protest by farmers of both states, tens of thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh have gathered in Noida, demanding increased compensation and developed plots in exchange for local development authorities acquiring their farmlands for infrastructure and other projects.
The protesters were seen trying to jump over the barricades placed there. The police in both states have also issued a traffic advisory, cautioning commuters in view of farmers' movement on tractors.
--IANS
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