Shambhu border opens after 13 months; farmers up in arms

Farmers across Punjab staged protests at several locations on Thursday against the detention of several farmer leaders and the police crackdown at the Shambhu border.

- TARUNI GANDHI & NEERAJ MOHAN

CHANDIGARH Farmers held protests in Sangrur, Muktsar, Moga, Tarn Taran, Gidderbaha and Faridkot districts.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced that they would continue to hold demonstrations outside the offices of deputy commissioners on Friday.

Meanwhile, after 13 months, one lane of the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana has been reopened for traffic, allowing movement from Rajpura in Punjab toward Ambala and Delhi.

Haryana Police is in the process of removing barricades from the second lane. This lane will be opened after a green signal from NHAI safety team. The border had remained closed for 13 months due to the farmers' protest.

On Thursday, the once-bustling protest site at the Shambhu border was left deserted. Scattered across the highway were utensils, LPG cylinders, freezers, washing machines, chairs, tables, beds, and clothes— remnants of the protest camps that had stood for months.

However, security has been heightened at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border as a Punjab police cleared Khanauri border. At Khanauri border, the Haryana security forces began removing the cemented barricades that were set up to stop Punjab farmers from marching to Delhi.