New Delhi: Delhi Police Tuesday detained 256 people, who were on their way to participate in a kisan mahapanchayat in the city, after intercepting them at various entry points, including Singhu border. They were later released, cops said. Several vehicles carrying other protesters were also stopped at several border points before being forced to turn back.Around the same time, many farmers from Punjab reached Shambhu border in Haryana with plans to march towards the capital to attend the mahapanchayat at central Delhi’s Kisan Ghat in protest against the proposed India-US Free Trade Agreement. They later suspended their plan following positive talks with Haryana govt.Security at Delhi’s Singhu border remained tight throughout the day, with multiple layers of barricades in place. Police personnel stopped vehicles for thorough inspections. Special attention was given to tractors, buses and other vehicles that were likely to carry protesters.Elaborate security arrangements were made to prevent any untoward incident and to ensure that law and order was maintained. Around 80 CCTV cameras were installed at strategic locations at the border points, while mobile surveillance cameras were deployed to monitor vehicular movement in real time.Delhi’s Outer North district has 22 border entry points, a police officer said. Apart from them, security was strengthened at 10 entry points in Rohini district. More than 300 police personnel were deployed across Delhi’s border. Traffic police teams were also stationed at key locations to regulate traffic and manage congestion caused by the security checks.
