Haryana Police booked seven farmers and 250 supporters for blocking national highway
New Delhi, August 31
The Haryana Police booked seven local farmer leaders and their 250 unidentified supporters for blocking the Panchkula-Shimla highway at Chandimandir toll plaza who had gathered to protest against the lathicharge on farmers in Karnal.
The farmer leaders named in the FIR are Gurjant Singh, Bhim Singh, Gurmail Singh, Narender Singh, Taranjeet, Sumitra Dahiya and Rajwinder Kaur.
The farmers in Panchkula had gathered on the call of farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni to protest against the lathicharge while demanding the release of arrested farmers immediately.
The police said that though the protest had remained peaceful with hundreds of farmers blocking the highway however that led to long jams on the highways.
The police deployment alongwith other security forces to ensure law and order had led to more blockage on the roads and highways. The regular commuters from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi and otherswho were on their way to Shimla and Kasauli, were stuck in the jam for several
The farmers have been charged under several sections including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 143 (unlawful assembly), 145 (joining or continuing in unlawful assembly, knowing it has been commanded to disperse), 147 (rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 283 (obstruction in public way), 341 (wrongful restraint), 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 8B of the National Highway Act.
The police registered the FIR at Chandimandir police station on the complaint of a police official deployed for law and order at the toll plaza.
The police FIR stated that the farmer leaders along with their 200-250 supporters blocked the National Highway, affecting traffic movement. The police tried to persuade them to allow free flow of traffic but they remained adamant and obstructed public servant in discharge of duty.
The police stated they were gathering videographic evidence to initiate action against the farmer leaders and their protesters.
The FIR also mentions that the farmers blocked the convoy of Haryana Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, damaged the bonnet of vehicles, engaged in scuffle with the police, obstructed public servants from discharging their duty and violated Covid rules.
