Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma on February 24 wrote to his Haryana counterpart demanding that a farmer who was injured in clashes during the 'Delhi Chalo' march and is undergoing treatment at PGI Rohtak be handed over to the Punjab authorities.
Mr. Verma said that any other farmer from Punjab undergoing treatment in Haryana should also be handed over to the State authorities.
Farmer leaders, who are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march, had alleged that a few farmers were beaten up and taken away by Haryana security personnel on February 21.
A protester was killed and about 12 police personnel were injured in the clashes at Khanauri, one of the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.
"It has come to our notice that Pritpal Singh from Punjab, who got hurt during the farmers' agitation, is undergoing treatment at PGI (Post Graduate Institute) Rohtak," wrote Mr. Verma.
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“You are requested to handover Pritpal Singh to Punjab authorities so that his treatment may be... done in Punjab free of cost by the Punjab government. Further, if any other agitating farmer from Punjab is undergoing treatment in Haryana, he should also be handed over to us,” he said.
On Friday, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia had alleged that Singh was "kidnapped" and injured by Haryana Police. He had claimed that Singh was "kidnapped" when he had gone to distribute 'langar' at Khanauri.
Police remove barrier for commuters at Singhu, Tikri borders
As the farmers halted their proposed march towards the national capital, the Delhi police on February 25 arranged a pathway for the commuters by removing a portion of blocks at the Singhu and Tikri borders.
“We are removing a portion of the barrier from Point-A to Point-B for the commuters. The deployment of police and paramilitary forces will ensure strict vigil round the clock. Force deployment will stay in place. Vehicle movement will not be allowed for now,” a senior police officer said.
On February 25, the city police removed two huge cement barriers for those commuters who walk towards Delhi using a small passage at the Singhu and Tikri borders.
A commuter Suresh said he commutes to Kundali for work but due to the barriers he has to walk an additional distance of more than a kilometre everyday.
“There is one narrow passage for the commuters through which only one person can go through. But now we got to know that the police is opening the barrier for the people. This will surely ease the problem,” Mr. Suresh said.
The Delhi Police has directed the security personnel deployed at the city’s Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert. They also conducted mock drills.
Delhi Police officials said the security personnel deployed at the three borders were asked to stay on alert and to keep strict vigil.
“Commuters, those coming to Delhi and those who going from Delhi to some other places, are facing problems. We have already arranged diversions. But for those who are walking, we have arranged a pathway. This pathway will help commuters to cross the road easily,” said the senior officer.
Another commuter Manoj Kumar at the Tikri Border said, “I work in Delhi and I have to walk for 1.5 kilometres everyday to reach my workplace.” Opening the barriers will ensure that the commuters will reach their office on time, he said.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the “Delhi Chalo” march.
The protesting farmers and Haryana police personnel clashed at the Punjab-Haryana border on February 23. The Tikri and Singhu borders are sealed with the heavy deployment of police personnel and multi-layered barricades of concrete and iron nails.
Two lanes of the the Ghazipur border have also been shut with the deployment of multi-layer barricades and police personnel.
