Amid the massive security arrangements made at the Haryana borders with Delhi at Gurugram and Faridabad, tens of thousands of farmers on Thursday braved tear-gas shells and water cannons and broke police barricades on their way to Delhi while several farmers and policemen were injured ahead of the Punjab-Haryana border in Shambhu near Ambala.

Reports say that thousands of protesting farmers, armed with sticks and swords, flung police barricades into a river. They also threw bricks at the cops and physically pushed vehicles even as the BJP-ruled Haryana administration tried to stop them on their way to a protest march in Delhi.

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Haryana is using heavy force to try and block farmers coming from Punjab towards the National Capital in tractors, other vehicles, and on foot.

The agitating farmers are out for two-day “Delhi Chalo” protest march against the three Central Farm Laws.

Farmers from five states, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala, Punjab, are planning a march to Delhi today and tomorrow.

The Delhi government has refused to allow any rally in the city, citing the coronavirus outbreak.

The All India Kisan Sabha said there are over 50,000 farmers at the spot who have braced overnight rains and chilly winds and assembled at various places along the Haryana-Punjab borders amid mounting tension.

A huge contingent of police comprising the Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed to deal with any untoward situation.

Unfazed by the heavy security deployment and barricading on the highway with mounds of earth and huge rocks, a protesting farmer Gurdev Singh told the media at the Shambhu border near Ambala city, “We will break all the barricades if we were not allowed to move ahead.”

Farmers said they were ready to face even the bullets.

The farmers affiliated to 33 organisations are part of the United Farmers Front, an all-India body of over 470 farmers’ unions that will participate in the indefinite protest in the national capital from November 26.

Massive security arrangements have been made at the borders with Delhi at Gurugram and Faridabad.

Delhi has deployed forces at the borders, focusing especially on Ghazipur border, Chilla border and DND. As per the reports, eight companies of paramilitary forces will be stationed at the borders and Metro services curtailed as a precautionary measure.

(With agency inputs)