Haryana Police use tear gas on farmers marching towards Delhi

Chandigarh: The Haryana Police fired tear gas shells at a second batch of 101 farmers marching from the Shambhu border towards Delhi on Sunday.

The farmers, who began their march at noon, were pressing for various demands, including a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP).

At 12:40 pm, negotiations to stop the jatha from advancing broke down, prompting police to fire tear gas.

The sudden escalation caused a brief stampede among the farmers, forcing them to retreat a few metres. Some farmers covered their faces with wet jute sacks or wore glasses to protect themselves from the tear gas.

Earlier in the day, discussions between farmers and police were marked by tension, although the Haryana Police offered tea and biscuits to the protesters. Authorities also requested the farmers to show the required permissions for marching on foot.

Meanwhile, Haryana Police had reportedly written to Punjab Police a day earlier, urging them to restrict media access near the protest site for safety reasons and to maintain law and order. The situation remains tense as farmers vow to continue their march.