Shambhu, 6 Dec

Haryana security personnel on Friday lobbed teargas shells to disperse protesting farmers reaching near the multi-layered barricades erected at Shambhu on the Punjab and Haryana border.

Multiple rounds of teargas shells were fired at the protesting farmers, a 'jatha' (group) of 101 farmers who began their foot march towards Delhi from their Shambhu protest site, to force them to go back. Some farmers suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital in ambulances, the protesters claimed.

Haryana Police authorities are asking the protesting farmers not to proceed further, citing prohibitory orders imposed under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Some of the farmers were seen uprooting iron nails and barbed wire from the road as they covered their faces with wet jute bags to avoid the smoke. The farmers claimed that Haryana security personnel fired teargas shells on a group of protesters who wanted to move ahead peacefully.

The Ambala district administration has already issued an order under Section 163 of the BNSS, restricting any unlawful assembly of five or more people in the district.

Multilayered barricades have been erected by Haryana security personnel and after walking barely a few metres as part of their foot march towards Delhi, the 'jatha' of the protesting farmers were stopped and told that they did not have the requisite permission to proceed.

Shortly before the farmers were to begin their march, the Haryana government on Friday suspended mobile internet services in 11 villages in Ambala district from December 6-9 as a precaution.

The farmers are marching to force the Centre into extending a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.