Farmers Suspend 'Delhi Chalo' March After Tear Gas Shelling at Shambhu Border

Shambhu: Protesting farmers on Sunday afternoon suspended their foot march to Delhi for the day after some of them suffered injuries in tear gas shelling by Haryana security personnel along the state's border with Punjab .

Sarwan Singh Pandher, a farmer leader from Punjab, said that at least eight farmers were hurt, with one taken to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh for treatment.

Pandher said, "We have called back the 'jatha' (group of 101 farmers)," and added that the farmers' next steps would be decided after discussions within their organizations, the Samyuka Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

The 'jatha' resumed its foot march from the farmers' Shambhu protest site earlier in the afternoon but was soon halted by multilayered barricading erected by Haryana security personnel.

The farmers, part of a group called 'marjeevras' (people ready to die for a cause), began their march from the Shambhu protest site but were soon stopped by multiple barricades set up by Haryana security forces. 

Tear gas shells were lobbed at the protesting farmers and water jets were used as well to disperse them after they reached the barricades.

The Ambala police had previously stated that the farmers would need permission from Delhi authorities before continuing their march to the national capital.

"The team has been deployed here since morning...We gave clear instructions that we will check their (farmers) identity and permission and only then will we allow them to move forward. They disagreed. we want them to maintain peace and enter after taking permission," said DSP Shahabad Ramkumar.

The group was demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and was halted just a short distance from their starting point.