Karnal lathicharge: Administration suspends internet from midnight; police step up security

Tribune News Service
Karnal/Chandigarh, September 6

Karnal's district administration announced it was suspending internet services from 12.30 am Tuesday (September 7)—hours before farmers heeded a "gherao" call against the August 28 police action. 

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All forms of telecom internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), SMS services and dongle services provided on mobile networks will be suspended, District Magistrate Nishant Kumar Yadav said.

Only voice calls will be allowed on mobile networks, he said after the administration held a meeting on Monday to discuss security arrangements in anticipation of a farmers’ call to gherao the mini secretariat on September 7.

The district administration has already imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Karnal banning public assemblies and police have stepped up security in the district. The district police have also announced diversions in anticipation of the protest.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk said the Inspector General of Police Karnal Range and district superintendents of police in Karnal Range have been asked to be on their guard.

“The main National Highway No 44 (Ambala-Delhi) may see some traffic disruptions in Karnal district. Therefore, the general public using NH 44 are advised to avoid journey through Karnal town or otherwise use alternate routes to go to their destination on September 7,” he said. “All citizens are being informed about these arrangements in advance so that they are able to plan and modify their journey accordingly, to avoid any inconvenience.”

Farmers have warned they would gherao the mini secretariat at Karnal on September 7 unless the administration heeded their demands that included action against the Indian Administrative Service officer who ordered brutal police action on August 28 and the policemen involved in brutal lathicharge of protesting farmers.

Diversions

The district police, in anticipation of a large gathering and law and order problems, have issued travel advisories and diversions. Vehicles coming to Chandigarh from Delhi will be diverted through Panipat’s Pepsi Chowk via Munak to Assandh and Munak to Gagsina, via Ghoghadipur to Hansi Chowk of Karnal, via Bypass Western Yamuna Canal to Karna Lake via GT Road 44. Apart from this, light vehicles will be diverted towards Chandigarh via Madhuban, Daha, Bajida, Ghogharipur, Hansi Chowk, Bypass Yamuna Canal, Karna Lake, GT Road 44.

Vehicles going from Chandigarh to Delhi will be diverted at Kurukshetra’s Pipli via Ladwa, Indri, Bayana, Neval, Kunjpura via Nangla Megha, Meerut via Amritpur Khurd, Kairavali, and Gharaunda via GT Road 44.

Apart from this, light vehicles will be allowed from Ramba Cut Tarawadi via Ramba Chowk Indri Road via Sangoha, Ghid, Baragaon, Neval, Kunjpura via Nangla Megha, Meerut Road via Amrutpanur Khurd, Kairavali, and Gharaunda via GT Road-44.

A spokesperson from Haryana Police clarified later in the evening that the planned route diversions on NH-44 between Delhi and Ambala have not been brought into effect yet.

The diversions, if needed, will be brought into effect from 9 am on Tuesday.

“Before that, traffic will be flowing normally,” the spokesperson said.

Farmer union leader Gurnam Singh Charuni had warned the administration of action unless the police heeded their demands. In anticipation of the action, the administration imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Karnal banning public assemblies.  

Charuni, who’s been having differences with the rest of farmer union leaders who make up the Samyukta Kisan Morcha—a joint front of 13 farmer unions that have been spearheading protests against the three controversial agriculture laws since last year—said that all leaders of the joint front would be part of his call for action.

Among demands is the FIR against Ayush Sinha, an IAS officer of the 2018 batch currently posted as the Sub Divisional Magistrate who, according to a viral video, had asked policemen to “smash heads” of a group of farmer protesters who were in the city to protest a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was attending that meeting.

Also among farmers’ demands is Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the family and a job to the son of Sushil Kajal, a farmer from Gharunda who the protesters said had head injuries in the lathicharge and later died of a heart attack.

 Farmers’ bodies also demanded a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the wounded.

The farmers' protest on August 28 was part of a larger farmers' protest against three controversial laws—the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act—that Parliament passed last year. 

Farmers and allied services fear that the law would leave them open to exploitation by private interests. 

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