CHAOTIC SCENES PREVAIL AS FARMERS START DELHI MARCH

Clashes with police at border points Heavy barricading turns Delhi into fortress.

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Farmers F from Punjab clashed with Haryana Police at two border points between the states on Tuesday, facing tear gas and water cannons as they tried to break past barricades blocking their protest march to the national capital.

Police lobbed tear gas shells - some of them dropped from a drone - and tried to disperse groups of stone-pelting protesters in the face-off that last several hours at Shambhu border near Ambala in Haryana.

Haryana Police hurled tear gas canisters against the 'Delhi Chalo' protesters at the border in state's Jind district as well. Water cannons too were deployed there.

Seven police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were brought to the Ambala government hospital. Some farmers are also reported hurt.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation to put pressure on the Centre for their demands, including a law on minimum support price for crops and loan waivers.

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, however, said a law guaranteeing MSP cannot be brought in a hurry without consulting all stakeholders. He urged farmer groups to have a structured discussion with the government on the issue.

Munda and Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal had held last-ditch talks with farmer bodies in Chandigarh on Monday night. But the five-hour meeting remained inconclusive.

The Punjab and Haryana High court Tuesday issued notices to the Centre and the states of Haryana and Punjab, on two separate petitions linked to the march.

IN GIST

• Police lobbed tear gas shells - some of them dropped from a drone

• Face-off at Shambhu border near Ambala in Haryana.

• Police hurled tear gas canisters against at the border in Jind district as well.