Greater Noida: 45 farmers held at Pari Chowk, tally swells to 122

Noida: The Noida police on Friday arrested 45 farmers who were about to take out a protest march from Pari Chowk in Greater Noida, said an officer, adding that they have been booked under Section 170 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) at the Ecotech 1 police station.

The latest arrests took the tally of arrested farmers to 122, including the 77 who are already in jail.

“13 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), including 1 women PAC, is deployed in the district to prevent any nuisance,” said Shivhari Meena, additional commissioner of police (law and order), adding that as Section 163 (unlawful assembly of five or more people) of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is imposed in the district, no one is allowed to protest.

A senior officer, requesting anonymity, said, “The farmers tried to congregate at the Pari Chowk and march towards Noida. But police deployed near the spot stopped them, and they were sent to Luksar jail on a bus.”

The Noida police have arranged three to four buses at every spot wherever a farmers protest is expected.

Rajiv Kumar Singh, jailer, Luksar jail in Kasna, said, “Police brought 45 farmers today. After legal procedure, they were sent behind bars. The 77, who were arrested on Thursday, are also in jail.”

On late Wednesday night and Thursday, police had arrested a total of 77 farmers from Zero-Point in Greater Noida, and 124 from Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal on Tuesday.

Protesting farmers, meanwhile, said they are determined to get their demand accepted.

“We have been demanding increased compensation for acquired land. Our leaders were already arrested. Today we planned to organise a protest to offer our arrest to police. They are arresting us again and taking us to jail. We will struggle till our demand remain unmet,” said Hariom Pal, a farmer at the protest site in Pari Chowk on Friday.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) -Tikait has withdrawn itself from the protest, saying the government has taken note of their demands and there is no need for protest.

Pawan Khatana, BKU-Tikait’s western UP president, through a social media message on Thursday had stated that there was no need to protest or join the “Delhi Chalo” march now.

“Initially we had joined the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march because we wanted the government to take action. Now the government has formed a five-member committee to address the farmers’ concerns. Police also released the arrested 123 farmers on Wednesday. After all this, there is no point to continue the protest,” he said.

Notably, following the farmers’ arrest on Tuesday, nearly 5,000 farmers had converged at Zero Point in Greater Noida on Wednesday, demanding their release. After negotiations with police, 123 farmers were released on Wednesday. But later 34 were arrested on late Wednesday night and 43 on Thursday from this Zero Point, who are still jail.

On November 25, farmers’ protest was launched under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS), and other farmer groups demanding enhanced compensation for their acquired land, residential land for use of their families and better welfare measures.