Punjab Police removed protesting farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri borders

Chandigarh: The Punjab Police has started clearing the Haryana-Punjab border, which had been closed for 13 months due to ongoing farmer protests. Authorities have begun removing sheds built by farmers using bulldozers, while security forces have been deployed at the Khanauri border. Farmers have been asked to disperse voluntarily.

The move comes a day after the seventh round of talks between protesting farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders and the central government remained inconclusive on Wednesday. The meeting, which lasted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., was attended by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi.

Following the meeting, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) convener Sarwan Pandher and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) leader Jagjit Dallewal were detained.

Farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13, demanding a law to guarantee minimum support prices (MSP). They had attempted to march towards Delhi four times but were stopped at the Shambhu border by Haryana Police.