Farm laws: 3 people detained in Shimla

The Himachal Pradesh police on Tuesday detained three people in Shimla, who had arrived from the Singhu border near Delhi to share their reasons of opposing the Centre’s farm laws and the purpose of the agitation.

Also read: Farmers’ protest | Centre’s affidavit on farm laws an attempt to mislead Supreme Court, nation: Congress

The three were detained from the Ridge by the police under preventive Sections 107 and 151 of Code of Criminal Procedure, after they were allegedly involved in prohibited activities, a charge they dismissed.

“Our security agencies had input on possible protests etc. by these people and we were keeping a vigil on their movement. Once they started the prohibited activities on the Ridge — the area where any kind of procession or meeting activity it not allowed as per the High Court directions — they were taken into preventive custody,” Mohit Chawla, Shimla SP, told The Hindu.

“They did not apply for any kind of permission from the local administration. Had they given a request, we would have examined it. There were no security checks surrounding them. To ensure peaceful situation we detained them as a preventive measure,” he said.

Also read: ‘No record of consultations on farm laws’

One of the farmers, while being taken away by cops, said their democratic right of free speech was being bulldozed. “None of us has raised any slogan.. We are only three people and Article 19 of the Constitution gives us the right to express our opinion. We are only standing here. What’s the violation in that? You [Police] are finishing democracy,” he said.