The Haryana Police on Wednesday fired tear gas shells to disperse farmers from Punjab at Shambhu and Khanauri borders as they tried marching towards Delhi.
The farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march began on February 13 and since then, farmers have been gathered at the border points along with their tractor-trolleys, mini-vans and pickup trucks to march towards Delhi.
Heavy earthmoving equipment, including excavators, and modified tractors were seen at the protest sites, with police cautioning that these might be used to break barricades and cause harm to security personnel.
However, the Police fired tear gas shells to disperse some farmers who started moving towards the multiple layers of barricades at the Shambhu border point near Ambala in Haryana.
The Delhi Police also beefed up security in the national capital and directed its personnel to ensure strict vigil at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders.
After the protesting farmers were stopped by security forces from marching, farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "We did not send any youth at the front, instead leaders themselves went peacefully. The way they attacked us (with tear gas shells), everyone saw that. We have never refused for talks, but it is not possible to hold discussions in such environment."
By Wednesday afternoon, there had been at least three rounds of tear gas shelling. A drone was also deployed by security personnel at Shambhu to drop tear gas shells.
In Khanauri too, police fired tear gas shells to disperse farmers as they moved towards the barricades. Following the tear gas shelling, a chaotic situation was witnessed at the protest sites with the farmers running for cover as the smoke enveloped the area.
The farmer leaders have asked the protesters to maintain calm and peace. Volunteers deputed by the farmer leaders at the protest sites have been asking young farmers not to move ahead.
Another farmer's leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, "So what if they fired tear gas shells on us? It is not possible that we watch the show while tear gas shells are fired on our kids here. Arjun Munda talks about holding another round of discussion, we told him that if any talks are to be held, it should be around MSP guarantee law."
There were reports that over 14,000 protestors gathered along the Punjab-Haryana border with 1,200 tractor-trolleys and other vehicles on Wednesday to resume the 'Delhi Chalo' march.
The farmers resumed their agitation two days after the fourth round of talks with the government over their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver, failed.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) meanwhile raised concerns about the "deteriorating" law-and-order situation in Punjab and asked the state government to take action.