Farmers' protests: Strengthened barricades so that they cannot be broken again, says Delhi Police chief SN Shrivastava

File Photos (IANS and PTI)

New Delhi: The Delhi Police chief SN Shrivastava on Tuesday (February 2, 2021) defended the heightened security measures at the national capital borders and said that they have strengthened barricades so that they cannot be broken again.

"I am surprised that when tractors were used on January 26 to attack policemen and barricades were broken, no questions were raised at that time. What have we done now? We have just strengthened the barricades so that they are not broken again," the Delhi Police Commissioner was quoted as saying by PTI news agency. 

The statement comes after Delhi Police put multi-layered barricading, iron nails on road, barbed wires, iron rods between cemented barriers and deployed DTC buses and extra personnel on the ground at the farmers' protest sites.

Shrivastava also visited the police personnel who were injured during the farmers' tractor rally in the national capital on Republic day. He lauded them for exercising utmost restraint in the face of 'violent' behaviour while persuading the farmers to follow designated routes.

The Delhi Police Commissioner said the force remained firm, yet polite while performing their duty in such hostile situation. He said the staff took appropriate action understanding the gravity of the situation in the interest of people of Delhi and the dignity of the force. He also praised the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for performing their duty efficiently along with Delhi Police.

Shrivastava was accompanied by senior police officers, including Special Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Sanjay Singh and Joint Commissioner of Police (Western Range) Shalini Singh.

Delhi Police informed a total of 510 police personnel were injured during the incident.

It has so far registered 44 FIRs against protesters in connection with the violence and arrested 122 people.

Notably, thousands of farmers have camped at Delhi's borders and are demanding a rollback of these three laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.


(With inputs from PTI news agency)