CHANDIGARH (24,MAR) - After a police crackdown on protesting farmers, Punjab Police announced on Monday that they have freed almost 800 farmers who were detained. They will release another 450 farmers, following orders from the state government.
These detentions occurred after the AAP government decided to remove protest sites starting March 19, explaining that the protests negatively impacted businesses, industries, and the general public.
Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said, "The Punjab Government has already released about 800 farmers from police custody."
He further added that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has ordered the "immediate release of farmers, women, people with disabilities, patients with medical ailments, and people above 60 years.
"As per the directions of the Punjab Government, we are releasing these farmers in priority, and around 450 will be released today," he added.
The agitating farmers condemned the AAP government for arresting their leaders and removing protesters from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, where they were stationed since February 13 last year after their march to Delhi was thwarted by security forces.
As for the concern of farmers regarding their property during eviction from protest grounds, the IGP stated that the Punjab Government has directed sternly that no one would misuse farmers' property.
"To solve farmers' belongings issues, the Patiala district police have given the task of Nodal Officer to SP-rank officer Jasbir Singh. Farmers with difficulties in their assets can directly approach SP Jasbir Singh at the mobile number for immediate help," Gill said.
The Patiala Police already registered three FIRs regarding the issue, he added.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha's national coordination committee roundly condemned the Punjab Police for its actions against protesting farmers and called upon farmers across the country to stage protests in their respective districts on March 28.
The Shambhu and Khanauri protests were mainly conducted by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).
On Wednesday, Punjab Police detained several farmers and several farmer leaders in Mohali when they returned from a meeting with a central delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh. The farmers brought the different demands of the farmers to the fore, especially the enactment of a law to provide a minimum support price (MSP) for crops during the meeting. The farmers came across big barricades when they returned to Mohali, and a few of their leaders were arrested.
In other news, traffic through the Khanauri border crossing resumed on Friday after barricades put up during the farmers' protest were taken down. The Shambhu-Ambala Highway traffic too was restored on Thursday after a period of over a year after Punjab Police razed temporary arrangements at the protest site.
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