Haryana, UP to join hands to check crime, illegal mining

CHANDIGARH :Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have decided to work together to improve the law and order situation in the two states, take steps to check illegal mining and solve the common issues affecting the people of the two neighbours, an official statement said on Saturday.

Stating that this was decided at a meeting held between Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath in Mathura, the statement said the director generals of police (DGPS) of both states would meet every three months on a regular basis. Senior officers of Delhi police would also attend the meeting.

The chief secretaries of both states would meet soon to ensure availability of adequate amount of irrigation water in Agra canal and cleanliness of minors.

Both states would work together for the construction of bridge on the Yamuna near Hasanpur in Palwal district of Haryana.

To solve excise-related issues, a meeting of senior officers of both states would be held along with officers of Rajasthan, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh. Both states would jointly work to put a check on illegal mining. Also, exchange of cultural activities would be done on a regular basis.

Khattar said the 84 kos parikrama falling in Braj area of Haryana would be renovated. Besides, renovation work of some religious and pilgrimage places in Braj area will also be undertaken as announced by him. In this connection, a meeting of senior officers tourism and public works (buildings and roads) departments of the two states would be held soon, he added.

‘POLICE MISUSING THEIR POWER’

“The police are misusing their power against farmers but we will continue our protest. Let the government keep our tractors. We did not violate any law. The police even attacked us as seen in several videos that surfaced on social media,” said Sandeep Topra, a farmer leader, in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, police officers associated with the investigation said that assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Pawan Kumar sustained injuries in a clash with farmers and a case for attempt to murder was registered on his complaint.

However, some other police officials, on the condition of anonymity, said that Pawan was already discharged from the hospital and there were no major injuries on his body.

“The farmers are fearing arrest. That is why they are not going to the police station to take their tractors back. Most of the farmers are sugarcane growers and they are facing problems in taking their produce to sugarmill,” said a farmer, whose tractor was also impounded.

Radaur DSP Ajay Rana said, “The tractors were parked in the police station as the farmers did not remove them from the road. Now the farmers will have to follow the procedure to take their tractors back”.

Radaur police station incharge Satpal Singh said, “On the complaint of ASI Pawan, who was injured in the clash, the police booked the farmers for attempt to murder. “Now the investigation was on and senior police officers were dealing with the case. It is matter of investigation whether Section 307 will be withdrawn or not.”

Bharitya Kisan Union leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni and other famer bodies have called a state-level meeting in Hisar on February 26.

They demanded the government to release the arrested farmers and threatened to intensify their agitation if FIRS registered against farmers were not withdrawn.