Farmer leaders detained in Mohali; Punjab Police remove protesters from Shambhu, Khanauri

Chandigarh: Farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were detained in Mohali here on Wednesday while they were returning from a meeting with a central delegation. Meanwhile, Punjab Police initiated the removal of protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, which had remained shut for over a year, reported PTI.

According to farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat, the detained leaders were en route to the Shambhu protest site after their discussions with the delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan when they were taken into custody in Mohali.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema defended the move, stating that prolonged roadblocks had severely impacted trade and business. "The AAP is committed to youths and generating employment. They will get jobs if the trade and industry functions smoothly," he remarked. Meanwhile, BJP leader and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu criticised the detentions, alleging that the Punjab government was attempting to "sabotage" discussions between the Centre and the farmers.

There were early signs of police intervention at the protest sites, with a significant security presence while the farmer leaders were engaged in talks in Chandigarh. Farmers reported the deployment of ambulances, buses, firefighting vehicles, and anti-riot forces in the vicinity of the protest sites.

The agitation, led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, has been ongoing since February 13 last year at the Shambhu (Shambhu-Ambala) and Khanauri (Sangrur-Jind) border points between Punjab and Haryana. The farmers have been demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Prices (MSP) on crops, among other issues.

The latest round of discussions between farmer representatives and the central delegation in Chandigarh ended without a resolution. Following a three-hour meeting, Agriculture Minister Chouhan stated, "The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. The discussions took place in a positive and constructive manner. The talks will continue. The next meeting will take place on May 4."

After leaving the meeting venue, the farmer leaders encountered heavy barricading upon entering Mohali. Mangat confirmed that Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra, and Manjit Singh Rai were detained alongside Pandher and Dallewal. While Pandher was taken into custody at the Zirakpur barrier and transferred to the Bahadurgarh Commando Police Training Centre in Patiala, Dallewal—who was travelling in an ambulance—was also apprehended.

Some farmers resisted the police action, leading to altercations with security personnel. Expressing surprise at the development, BJP leader and Union Minister Bittu stated that even the three Union ministers who attended the Chandigarh meeting had not been informed about the Punjab Police’s actions.

The police intervention is being viewed in light of growing concerns among Punjab’s industrialists, who have complained of substantial losses due to the prolonged blockade of the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. Justifying the government’s actions, Cheema said, "Trade has been suffering. Considering all these situations, this action has been taken. We have been telling farmer leaders that their fight was with the Centre. You fight with the Centre. We are with you. You are causing heavy loss to Punjab by closing the border."

A contingent of approximately 3,000 police personnel, led by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Patiala Range) Mandeep Singh Sidhu, was deployed at the Khanauri protest site, while officers also moved to clear the Shambhu border. Addressing the protesters at Khanauri, Sidhu stated that the government had issued orders to clear the roads.

He assured the demonstrators that the police viewed them as their own people and did not seek conflict. However, he pointed out that the security forces outnumbered the approximately 200 farmers present. He also cautioned the youth against misbehaving with police personnel, reminding them that prohibitory orders had been imposed, rendering their assembly unlawful.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sukhchain Singh, speaking over a loudspeaker, instructed protesters to vacate the road within ten minutes. Subsequently, many demonstrators were detained and taken away in buses stationed at the protest site. Security forces were seen dismantling structures at the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites, with JCB machines being deployed to remove makeshift shelters erected by the farmers. Several tractor-trolleys and other vehicles belonging to protesters remained on the roads.

Earlier, farmers at Khanauri had staged a demonstration against the detainment of their leaders, raising slogans against the Punjab government. Following the meeting in Chandigarh, farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotra noted the significant police deployment near both border points.

Several opposition leaders condemned the Punjab government’s handling of the situation. Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi described the detention of farmer leaders as an "attack" on the agricultural sector and called the police action "unfortunate." Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema also denounced the government’s decision, saying, "This is highly undemocratic & illogical action and amounts to betrayal with the farm leaders. After the meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan himself said that the next meeting will be on May 4. So Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann must explain what happened after the meeting & who gave orders to arrest the leaders immediately on the way back to their places?"

He further criticised the government, alleging that it had betrayed the farmers to appease its political superiors. "The state government has stabbed the farm leaders in the back just to please their political mentors in Delhi. By doing so, the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government wants to crush the farmers' agitation. It has exposed that the Union government & Bhagwant Mann government are hand in glove with each other. The SAD demanded immediate release of all farm leaders without delay," Cheema stated in a post on X.