Protesting farmers claim police blocking them from exiting villages

Farmers in western Uttar Pradesh face police oppression as they plan to protest in Delhi, facing arrests and detentions.

As farmers from western Uttar Pradesh go ahead with plans to enter the national capital with the Delhi Chalo protest, despite detentions and arrests at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida, farmers claim local police was deployed in villages neighbouring Greater Noida, to restrict their movement.

Ajab Singh, 48, a farmer, and resident of Junpath village in Greater Noida claimed that a team of 10 cops have surrounded their village, not allowing anybody to leave.

“I am a heart patient, and the cops have been knocking at my door, telling me they are here to arrest me. They are pressurising us to not protest. I’m too old and my family is scared of this kind of harassment; fear has engulfed our home,” Mr. Singh said.

Farmers associated with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said the police has been deployed in neighbouring areas and villages from stopping farmers to protest on Friday (December 5, 2024).

Another farmer, 54-year-old Vinod Sarpanch, a resident of a village in Greater Noida, claimed he too was detained by police and taken to Bisrakh government hospital for a medical check-up.

“My foot is injured because of an accident, and I struggle to walk. We are forced to go to jails, when we should be heard by the government. Farmers are the backbone of the country, and we will continue the agitation, despite the arrests and the detentions,” Mr. Sarpanch said.

SKM leaders said, “The U.P. CM is misusing the police force to trespass into houses and detain farmers in the name of ‘house arrest’ when there are no such clauses in BNSS.”