Barely an hour before the Punjab farmers’ Delhi march from Shambhu border was to begin at 1pm on Friday, the Haryana government suspended data internet and bulk SMS services in 11 villages of Ambala district till December 9.

In view of the protest and anticipated tensions, the state home department order issued by additional chief secretary Sumita Misra said that the internet services will remain suspended in Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiana, Bari Ghel, Lharsa, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Sadopur, Sultanpur and Kakru villages of Ambala district from 12 noon of Friday till the midnight of Monday.

Haryana Roadways buses with their windowpanes covered were rushed from Ambala to reportedly ferry the group of 101 farmers and others, if they are able to cross the multiple-layer police barricading.

To stop the farmers’ march, the security authorities have deployed personnel on the banks of the Ghaggar river under the flyover.

A jatha (group) of 101 farmers embarked on the march to Delhi at 1pm on Friday from their protest site at the Shambhu border on the Punjab and Haryana border. The farmers are marching to mount pressure on the Centre for a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.

A heavy deployment of security personnel has been made on the Haryana side of the border.

The Ambala district administration has already issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), restricting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons in the district.

The deputy commissioner has directed that no procession on foot, vehicles, or other modes will be allowed till further orders. The authorities ordered the closure of all government and private schools in the district.

A multilayered barricading is already in place at the Shambhu border point Rajpura (Punjab)-Ambala (Haryana) on National Highway-44.