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19 Mar 2025

In power

AAP — Punjab

Acted

State government, Punjab

Punjab Police detained farmer leaders including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher in Mohali as they returned from the seventh round of talks with a Union delegation in Chandigarh, and cleared the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites in a late-evening operation, removing tents, stages and trolleys. The Indian Express reported that the Patiala Range DIG told protesters that police did not want to use force and asked them to board buses voluntarily. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the closure of the highways had hit trade and industry. On 28 March the Punjab government told the Supreme Court that it had cleared the protesters and reopened the national highway, and that Dallewal, on hunger strike since November 2024, had ended his fast. LiveLaw reported that a contempt petition alleging violation of the status quo order was withdrawn after the bench called it misconceived; the Court's signed order says the contempt proceedings against Punjab's Chief Secretary and DGP were dropped at this stage in light of subsequent events. Counts of detained farmers and police differ (see figures). [3][1][2][4][5]

• more than 300 farmers detained, said The Tribune, citing sources [4]
• nearly 500 farmers present when the operation began, said The Indian Express [3]
• over 3,000 police personnel at the two sites, said DIG Mandeep Singh Sidhu (quoted by The Indian Express) [3]
• over 5,000 police personnel stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, said The Tribune (live blog) [4]

Draft. Written with AI help from the sources listed. Not yet checked by a person. 2 claims are held back until sourced. Report an error