Police on Tuesday arrested more than 160 protesting farmers in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, a day after they paused their march to Delhi over a slew of demands, including MSP. Bharatiya Kisan Parishad Sukhbir Khalifa was also arrested. The farmers were holding a sit-in at the 'Dalit Prerna Sthal' in Noida as they were not allowed to move towards the national capital.
Earlier on Monday, farmers from different parts of Uttar Pradesh arrived in Noida on the call of Samyukta Kisan Morcha.
They had threatened to resume their march to the national capital if their demands were not met within seven days.
Police arrested more than 160 protesters at around 1.30 pm under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), said Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shiv Hari Meena, adding the provision allows the police to arrest to prevent the commission of a cognisable offence.
Tikait calls panchayat in Muzaffarnagar
The Bharatiya Kisan Union led by Naresh Tikait called a panchayat in Muzaffarnagar, slamming the arrest of farmers in Noida. We will continue to fight for their "just demands", said Khalifa.
According to the police, among the arrested were women and several farmer leaders like Khalifa and Pawan Khatana the state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Western Uttar Pradesh). The protesters were taken to the Luksar jail in Noida.
The farmers had gathered near the Mahamaya flyover and left for Delhi on Monday demanding proper compensation for their land acquired by the government, but were stopped by the police near Dalit Prerna Sthal, after which they sat on dharna there.
Massive traffic snarls had caused inconvenience to commuters crossing the Delhi-Noida border as police had set up multiple layers of barricades and deployed heavy security to stop the march, which coincided with Parliament's Winter Session.
(With PTI inputs)
