The protesting farmers on Punjab-Haryana’s Shambhu border have announced to break the barricades and head towards the national capital while the Haryana police fired the tear gas shells in a bid to disperse the protesting farmers marching forward, injuring several farmers at the state border.

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The police action came after the farmers, demanding a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for their crops, tried to begin to move towards the multi-layered barricades at Shambhu, near Ambala in Haryana. After a lull, there was a similar incident again. Similarly, a chaotic situation was witnessed with farmers running for cover as the smoke enveloped the area near the Khanauri border, following the tear gas shelling.

According to the farm leaders, at least 12 protesters were injured at Khanauri border who were sent to Rajendra hospital, Patiala. Of 12, two farmers condition is said to be critical. On Wednesday, a 24-year-old protester succumbed to his injuries after a clash with the Haryana Police on the border. Shubh Karan Singh was taken to the hospital where he died, the hospital sources confirmed.

Meanwhile the farm leaders have said that the protest would continue until their demands are fulfilled. “This movement will continue, a solution can be found only through dialogue… SKM (Samyukt Kisan Morcha) will meet tomorrow and decide what to do,” Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said to the reporters.

Further, the Punjab Police has urged the farmers to stay calm and the Haryana police to not to use force.

“In view of ongoing dialogue between Farmers and Centre, all are requested to maintain peace and harmony. Protestors should be peaceful and not rush at Haryana Barricades and Haryana Police is requested not to use force,” the state police said in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, the general secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher reiterated the demand for a legal guarantee of MSP and assured a peaceful approach going ahead. The farm leader said that as the ‘Dilli Chalo’ resumed on Wednesday, only the leaders will be marching towards the national capital.

Meanwhile, agriculture minister Arjun Munda said that the centre is open to hold 5th round of talks with the protesting farmers to discuss all the issues raised by the latter. He also urged them to find a solution through ‘dialogue’.

Read here: 24-year-old farmer dies amid clash with Haryana police at Khanauri border

After the fourth round of talks ended in a stalemate, the farmers resumed their March on Wednesday morning. On February 19, the farmer leaders rejected the Centre’s proposal on MSP purchase, saying “not in farmer’s favour”. Thousands of farmers, who began the march to Delhi on February 13, were stopped at the Haryana border itself, where they clashed with security personnel. The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana since then.

After the Centre brought a proposal to purchase crops at MSP, farm leaders rejected the proposal saying that it had nothing for them.

The SKM and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press the government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP for crops, pension for farmers and farm labourers and farm loan waiver.

(With inputs from bureau, agencies)