Farmers from Punjab, who had launched a protest demanding a discussion on the Minimum Support Price (MSP), clashed with police near Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida on Monday, breaking barricades as they attempted to march towards Delhi. However, after discussions with police officials, the farmers eventually left the protest site, and the barricades were cleared, leading to a return to normal traffic flow in the area.
The farmers, led by the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, had announced their ‘Delhi Challo’ march earlier, aiming to draw attention to their demands regarding MSP. Police had set up barricades along the route and issued advisories to commuters traveling from Noida to Delhi, expecting disruptions due to the protest.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) for Noida, Shivhari Meena, confirmed that the situation was brought under control following discussions. “The farmers had announced the ‘Delhi Challo’ march today, and we were continuously holding talks with them. The farmers have conveyed their demands, and officials have provided them with assurances. Traffic has returned to normalcy,” Meena told news agencies.
Earlier in the day, the first group of farmers began their march from the Maha Maya flyover in Noida. In anticipation of the protest, Delhi Police had made robust arrangements, with barricading at major borders in East Delhi, anti-riot measures in place, and coordination with traffic police to minimize disruptions.
Sagar Singh Kalsi, Additional Commissioner of Police for Eastern Range, assured that while the protest was being managed, public inconvenience was being minimized. “We have done barricading, deployed anti-riot equipment, and set up drone surveillance. We are ensuring that common people aren’t affected while coordinating with traffic police,” Kalsi said.
The farmers’ protest, though intense, was defused through peaceful dialogue, and traffic in the area has now resumed without further incident.
