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Agencies

Chakka Jam: 50,000 personnel, layers of barricading in Delhi; drone cameras deployed
06-February-2021

Around 50,000 personnel of Delhi Police, Paramilitary and Reserve Forces have been deployed in Delhi-NCR region to maintain law and order situation in Delhi on Saturday, amid 'chakka jaam' call by the protesting farmers' representatives. At least 12 metro stations have also been put on alert, police said. Meanwhile, security across Delhi tightened on Saturday with the deployment of extra forces, putting up multi-layered barricades and barbed wires on the roads ahead of the proposed 'chakka jam' by farmer unions. Farmer unions on Monday announced a countrywide 'chakka jam' on February 6.

Heavy deployment of police personnel seen at Red Fort, as a preventive measure to dispel actions resulting from the calls for 'Chakka Jaam.' Police along with the barricading measures at the Minto Bridge area deployed. The area has been blockaded as a peremptory counter-measure to thwart the calls. Barbed wires placed over police barricades seen in Delhi's ITO area.

Here are the LIVE updates

11:26 am: The arrangements have been strengthened since January 26 to avoid any law and order situation. We are hoping that it will be a peaceful situation. Drones have been arranged for an aerial view, CCTV cameras have been installed in sensitive areas: Alok Kumar, Joint CP, Delhi Police

11:24 am: Police personnel are deployed at strategic locations such as Road number 56, NH-24, Vikas Marg, GT Road, Jirabad Road, since it's a call for nation-wide 'chakka-jam'. Barricading has been done in a way that there is no intrusion in Delhi: Alok Kumar, Joint CP, Delhi Police

11:23 am: Entry/exit gates of Khan Market and Nehru Place are closed

10:59 am: Entry/exit gates of Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Janpath and Central Secretariat closed

10:43 am: Entry/exit gates of Vishwavidyalaya station are also closed

10:36 am: Entry/exit gates of Mandi House, ITO and Delhi Gate are closed

09:47 am: Drone cameras deployed in Delhi to monitor the chakka jam situation

09:21 am: Security tightened in Delhi-NCR in view of 'Chakka Jaam' call by farmers

09:06 am: Around 50,000 personnel of Delhi Police, Paramilitary & Reserve Forces deployed in Delhi-NCR region. At least 12 metro stations in the national capital have been put on alert for closing the entry & exit, in view of any disturbance: Delhi Police

08:28 am: Paramilitary Forces have been deployed at various parts of Delhi-NCR including borders

08:11 am: We call on authorities and protesters to exercise maximum restraint in ongoing farmers protests. The rights to peaceful assembly and expression should be protected both offline and online. It's crucial to find equitable solutions with due respect to Human Rights for all: UN Human Rights

07:49 am: Delhi: Extensive barricading measures undertaken at Ghazipur border with water cannon vehicles deployed

07:26 am: Delhi: Heavy deployment of police personnel at the Red Fort as a preventive measure to dispel actions resulting from calls for 'Chakka Jaam' by farmer unions

07:13 am: New Delhi: Security personnel deployed along with barricading measures at the Minto Bridge area

07:07 am: Delhi: Security tightened, in the light of 'Chakka Jaam' appeals by farmer unions

06:39 am: Protesters demonstrating against the farm laws continue their agitation at the Ghazipur(Delhi-UP) border

Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava also held a meeting with senior officers of the force and reviewed the security arrangements on Friday. The police will also be monitoring content on the social media to keep a watch on those spreading rumours against the force, officials said.

After the violence on January 26 that had leftover 500 security personnel injured and one protestor dead, Shrivastava had accused the protesting farmer union leaders of betrayal and breaching the agreement as thousands of peasants deviated from their pre-decided routes for the tractor parade. Tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors had broken barriers, clashed with police and entered the city from various points to lay siege to the Red Fort on Republic Day.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deepak Yadav said, "According to the protesting farmers, they will not enter the national capital, but still as a precautionary measure, we have made adequate security arrangements to maintain law and order. Adequate police presence will be in place at all important points and junctions across the district.

"There will be an additional deployment of pickets at all the border points. All vehicles will be checked thoroughly at the entry and exit points of pickets and borders. Additional buses have already been taken and extra barricades are being put up at the picket points across the city," he said.

Haryana Police steps up security ahead of 'chakka jam'
Meanwhile, the Haryana police have stepped up security measures in view of the protesting farmer unions' call for a countrywide 'chakka jam' on Saturday. Senior police officers have been asked to personally supervise security and traffic arrangements at vital junctions and roads while district police chiefs have been directed to ensure deployment of adequate personnel, according to an official communication issued to them.

"In view of the January 26 incidents in Delhi, some anti-social elements and aggressive youth creating law and order problems, cannot be ruled out,� as per the communication dated February 4.

�It is assessed that as part of the protest programme on February 6, protesting farmers/unions may attempt road blockades of important national highways, state highways and interior roads,� it said, asking the police to ensure necessary security arrangements are in place.

The police commissioners and district police chiefs have also been asked to make all-out efforts to liaise with local leaders of farmer organisations to ensure peaceful conduct of their proposed programme, it said.

Meanwhile, Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij has appealed to the peasant leaders to call off the chakka jam.

Replying to a question on the issue in Gurugram on Thursday, Vij said, "Biggest problems in the world and even international issues are solved through dialogue�.

Vij said the government is always ready for talks and the protesting farmers must come forward.

�The government is always ready for talks and the prime minister has said the doors for talks are open. So, they should come forward,� he said.

He also said that in a democracy everyone has the right to protest and hold dharnas, �but while exercising that right, one should also keep in mind that they should not violate the rights of others and common people should not be inconvenienced�.

"So, it is my appeal to farmers leaders that they should call off their chakka jam programme,� said Vij.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the three agri laws.

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and help introduce new technologies in agriculture.