50 detained in Delhi for staging protest in support of farmers

Around 50 people were detained near Shaheedi Park in central Delhi on Saturday for allegedly holding a protest in support of the 'chakka jam' call given by the farmers agitating against the Centre's new agri laws, police said.

Farmer unions had on Monday announced a countrywide 'chakka jam' on February 6 during which they would block national and state highways between 12 noon and 3 pm to protest the Internet ban in areas near their agitation sites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, and other issues.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the farmer unions protesting the three farm laws, said on Friday the protesters will not block roads in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the 'chakka jam', even as it asserted that peasants in other parts of the country will block national and state highways for three hours between 12 noon and 3 pm, but in a peaceful way.

The Delhi Police has intensified security at all border points of the city as thousands of personnel including paramilitary forces have been deployed to deal with any situation emerging out of the 'chakka jam'.

After the Republic Day violence, the Delhi Police has deployed additional measures, including tightening security and intensifying vigil across the city and its border points.