Haryana seals Shambhu border, detains farmers in Kurukshetra

The Haryana-Punjab interstate border at Shambhu was sealed on Tuesday as farmers from Punjab set out for Delhi to participate in a 'mahapanchayat' at Kisan Ghat against the proposed India-US trade agreement, triggering traffic disruptions and allegations by farmer unions that the move was intended to stop them from reaching the national capital.


Heavy police deployment was made at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana, with barricades erected and cemented blocks placed at the bridge over Ghaggar river. Farmer leaders claimed the interstate border was closed without prior notice, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded in traffic jams on the National Highway and the Chandigarh-Rajpura highway.


Bhartiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) spokesperson Tejveer Singh alleged that the Haryana government had sealed the entry for everyone and was not allowing any vehicles from the Punjab side. "The interstate border has been closed without any prior information, causing inconvenience to commuters and stopping farmers from raising their genuine demands," he said.


Tejveer further alleged that the barricades had been installed inside Punjab territory and said the Punjab government should clarify its stand. A Punjab Police official confirmed that traffic was being diverted following the closure of the National Highway but declined to share further details