Farmers warn of 'permanent protest' as talks with Haryana govt fail

Talks between farmers and Haryana state government remained inconclusive for the second consecutive day. Farmers protesting against the police lathicharge of August 28, said they might have to keep a permanent protest site in Karnal.

Earlier, a large number of farmers squatted at the gates of the district headquarters in Karnal on Tuesday, locked in a showdown with the BJP-led government over a police lathi-charge last month.

The gherao began in the evening, several hours after farmers from Haryana and neighbouring states reached Karnal's New Anaj Mandi for a mahapanchayat, riding tractors and motorcycles.

Marching on foot from the mahapanchayat venue to the mini-secretariat five kilometres away, farmers faced a water cannon as they neared the complex. They jumped some barricades, but there was no other serious confrontation with police along the way.

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The protesters are demanding action against Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha who was caught on camera instructing police to "smash farmers' heads" in Karnal on August 28.

Farmer unions had warned that they will gherao the mini-secretariat if the administration did not meet their demands.

The state government late in the evening extended the suspension of mobile internet services in Karnal until Wednesday midnight as the situation was "still volatile".