Heavy security in Patiala as farmers begin their 6-day protest

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 22

Hundreds of farmers continued to pour in at the Mehmadpur grain market as their six-day protest against the Punjab government started on Friday.

Despite heavy police presence and a number of farmer leaders in custody, farmers continued to reach the venue in large numbers.

The district administration had on Thursday denied permission to farmer unions to protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence here. Instead, they were told to protest at a grain market at Mehmadpur village on Patiala-Sangrur road, 5 km from here.

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Many diversions have been made on the state highway to Bathinda due to the protest and police in large numbers is present at the venue.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 police personnel and central forces have been put on standby here to ensure there is no law-and-order problem.

Farmer leaders allege that due to faulty policies of successive state and central governments, farmers across the country are suffering. They threaten to take the protest to Delhi and make it a national issue wherein farmers from all states will protest.