Two key border points between Delhi and Haryana remain closed for traffic while security personnel in anti-riot gears were deployed at strategic locations in the national capital as farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' agitation entered the third day on Thursday.
While the two borders - Tikri and Singhu -- with Haryana remain closed, movement was allowed through the Ghazipur border with Uttar Pradesh under the watch of security personnel. According to senior police officer, the Delhi Police is on extra vigil though the protesting farmers have been stopped by the Haryana Police at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana near Ambala.
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In the central part of Delhi as well, the police have put up barricades on several roads leading to Parliament and other sensitive locations. Farmer leaders have said a meeting will be held with three Union ministers in Chandigarh on Thursday after which the protesters will decide the next course of action.
At Tikri and Singhu borders, the Delhi Police has put in place multiple layers of barricades, barbed wires and concrete blocks to stop farmers from entering the capital.
This is the third day of the agitation by the farmers to press the Centre to accept their demands including a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price for their crops and loan waiver. Meanwhile, with board exams beginning on Thursday, the authorities have advised students in Delhi to leave for their centres early as traffic movement will remain hit in several areas, particularly in the city's border areas, due to restrictions in view of the farmers' protest.
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The CBSE in an advisory said that "as the examination starts at 10.30 am, all the students have been directed to reach their examination centres at or before 10 am". Traffic movement at the Ghazipur border remained hit due to the barricades kept on the highway but the passage from both the side remained opened.
As a precaution, the streets and bylanes connecting Sonipat in Haryana to Delhi near the Singhu border has been dug up to prevent the protesters from entering Delhi. Security personnel deployed at the Singhu border also tested a system that can generate extremely high-frequency sounds that may help in dispersing a crowd, according to sources. They said the system is called Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD).
A senior Delhi Police officer said learning from past experience, tight security arrangements were made this time.
