Haryana: Large gatherings banned in Karnal ahead of farmers’ meeting

The Karnal district administration in Haryana has imposed restrictions to ban large gatherings on Tuesday in view of a farmers’ mahapanchayat (congregation), reported NDTV on Monday. Section 144 of the Criminal Code of Procedure prohibit the assembly of four or more people in an area.

The situation in the district has been tense since the police baton-charged and injured farmers during a protest against the three farm laws on August 28. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which is leading the farmers’ agitation, is also planning to gherao the mini-secretariat on Tuesday to protest against the police action.

The police have issued traffic advisory for the Delhi-Chandigarh national highway. Traffic will be diverted from Pipli in Kurukshetra and the Pepsi Bridge in Panipat. The district administration has also provided a list of alternative routes.

During the protest on August 28, Karnal Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ayush Sinha was seen in a video instructing police officers to smash the heads of farmers if they breach a barricade. Sinha was later transferred to Haryana’s Citizen Resources Information Department.

Sinha’s comments had triggered massive outrage. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also criticised his choice of words, but said that “strictness had to be maintained to ensure law and order”.

The farmers were protesting against Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including the chief minister….

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