Police fire tear gas as tensions rise at Punjab-Haryana border amid farmer protests

New Delhi: Tension escalated at the Shambhu border on the Punjab-Haryana border as police fired tear gas shells to disperse thousands of farmers gathered there.

Drones continuously released teargas to scatter the crowd, prompting some individuals to brave the gas with dampened clothes, aiming to dismantle cement barricades.

Farmers arrived with soil-filled trolleys and JCB machines, determined to overcome the barrier.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said their commitment to peaceful protest, stating they seek resolution without confrontation.

He said that the resilience of Haryana farmers despite facing substantial challenges, noting the significance of their role in the ongoing protest.

Farmers, mainly from Punjab, accompanied by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh counterparts, began their ‘Chalo Delhi’ march, after their meeting with the Union government remained inconclusive.

Following a meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda reported progress on various farmer-related issues. However, farmers announced their intent to march on Tuesday, prompting the closure of several state borders around Delhi.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha will lead the march to demand acceptance of their key demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, alongside a call for farm debt relief.