JCBS, sand bags reach Shambhu as farmers resume Delhi march today

Excavators and JCB machines began arriving, and gas masks, sand-laden sacks and metal sheets started piling up at Shambhu on the Punjab-Haryana border on Tuesday, as thousands of farmers stepped up their preparations to fight any attempts by security forces to thwart their march towards the national capital, after multiple rounds of talks with the government over a host of agricultural demands failed to yield desired results.

- Karam Prakash and Prawesh Lama

The protesting farmers from Haryana and Punjab gathered at Shambhu to chalk out their routes to continue with their "Delhi Chalo" agitation, which was halted briefly, as Delhi and Haryana police increased vigilance at its respective borders and paramilitary forces also increased its strength to keep the protesters at bay.

The Haryana government also extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts till Wednesday.

"We are preparing to protect ourselves from bullets and teargas shells, Ramandeep Singh Mann, leader of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non political), one of the protesting outfits, said, in reference to police action against the protesters at Shambhu near Ambala and Khanauri border in Jind last week.

"We will not indulge in any violence but at the same time, we do not want to get hurt or killed due to the action of the security forces. We are fully prepared to march towards Delhi," he added.