With police detaining around 100 farmers at Shambhu border in Haryana's Ambala Haryana while they were moving towards Chandigarh as part of a tractor march, farmers blocked the Hisar-Chandigarh National Highway. The farmers of Haryana, Punjab, and other neighbouring states have been seeking compensation for damages incurred during the recent floods. To press for their demands, they had given a call for a tractor march to Chandigarh. However, ahead of the protest, the farmer leaders were detained in several parts of Haryana. On Tuesday, heavy police force was deployed on roads leading to Chandigarh to halt the movement of farmers. Several farmers were detained in Ambala. Despite all efforts, farmers succeeded in gathering on Chandigarh-Hisar national highway near Ambala at 3 pm and started marching towards Chandigarh. However, the police halted their movement by installing barricades. Late in the evening, Ambala deputy commissioner Dr Shaleen reached the protest spot and urged the farmers to lift their dharna. A farmer leader Suresh Koth, who is leading the protesters, told The Indian Express: “The officers urged the farmers to open the highway. But we made it clear that the farmers did not block the road and they just want to move towards Chandigarh as part of their protest. We will continue our protest till our demands are not met.” The agitating farmers also urged the officers to release the detained farmer leaders. Meanwhile, a farmer, Ravinder Singh (30), from Sarsini village of Punjab, lost his leg during the agitation near Ambala. According to farmers, Ravinder had gone to a neighbouring village Lohgarh of Haryana to join other protesters. Local farm leaders say that when they were at the residence of a farmer, the police raided their place. The farmers objected to the police action and started protesting there. A farmer leader said that when they were going towards Ambala in their tractor-trolley, the police started following them and subsequently an accident took place. According to police, Ravinder was sitting on a tractor when his leg got entangled in the tyre of the moving vehicle. Ambala police range IGP Sibash Kabiraj told The Indian Express the incident was fallout of the rash driving by the tractor driver. “The police were not following them as villagers had stopped the policemen in the village (Lohgarh) itself,” said the IGP. Initially, the injured was admitted to a private hospital of Ambala but later was referred to Fortis hospital of Mohali for treatment.
