Farmers protests: Two IPS officers posted at Singhu border area test Covid positive

NEW DELHI: Two senior Delhi Police officers heading security arrangements at Singhu border where thousands of farmers have been camping for two weeks have tested positive for COVID-19, an officer said said on Friday.

Both the DCP-rank officers are in isolation, he said.

Hundreds of police personnel have been deployed at the Singhu border point to prevent the protesters, demanding a rollback of the new farm laws, from entering the national capital.

"Two senior police officers deployed at Singhu border tested positive for coronavirus a few days ago. Both of them are currently in isolation," a senior police officer said.

Thousands of farmers agitating against the centre''s new agri laws have been camping at multiple border points for two weeks.

On Thursday, they threatened to intensify their agitation with a plan to block railway tracks if their demands are not met soon.

The announcement came on a day Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said it was not proper to announce the next stage of agitation when talks were continuing and urged the unions to return to the discussion table.

The farmers claim the new agri laws are aimed at benefitting corporates by weakening the mandi system and the minimum support price (MSP) regime for procurement of farm produce.