Protesting farmers suspend ‘Dilli chalo’ foot march for the day

Protesting farmers halt march to Delhi after tear gas shelling, injuries; next steps to be decided in meeting.

Protesting farmers on Sunday (December 8, 2024) afternoon suspended their foot march to Delhi for the day after some of them suffered injuries in tear gas shelling by Haryana security personnel here along the state's border with Punjab.

Farmer leader from Punjab Sarwan Singh Pandher said at least eight farmers were injured and one of them was rushed to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.

Farmers ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest

"We have called back the 'jatha' (group of 101 farmers)," he told reporters in Shambhu.

Pandher said the farmers would decide their next course of action after a meeting of their forums — 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.

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