Multani mitti, kites and jute bags come in handy as agitating farmers counter tear gas, police drones

Farmers at the Punjab-Haryana border have been using multani mitti (fullers earth), kites and wet jute bags to counter police's tear gas shelling at them during their 'Dilli Chalo' march.

For the past two days, thousands of farmers have fought pitched battles with security forces some 200 km (125 miles) north of Delhi after police stopped their "Dilli Chalo" march to the capital to demand the government provide higher prices for their crops.

Drones are being used by Haryana police to drop tear gas shells hindering farmers' movement to the national capital. Additionally, rubber bullets have been fired at the protestors at Shambhu border.

A farmer shows a tear gas shell and rubber bullets fired by the police to disperse protesting farmers gathered at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border during their Dilli Chalo' march.

In an effort to stop drone attacks, farmers were seen flying kites in the hope of getting its thread entangled in the drones and hence making them fall.

Farmers fly kites to counter drone attacks.

They have also been applying multani mitti to alleviate the burning sensation caused by tear gas, India Today reported.

A protester who has applied multani mitti getting his face washed with water after coming in contact with tear gas.

The farmers had brought their tractors and trucks along to the protest and have used these, and other farm equipment, as deterrents to the police action: jute vegetable sacks are soaked in water and used to contain the tear gas canisters while blowers disperse the fumes.

Farmer runs carrying a wet jute bag amid tear gas shelling.

Farmers began their 'Dilli Chalo' march on Tuesday and clashed with Haryana police at the Punjab-Haryana border. Many farmers sustained injuries and many others were detained.

In addition to the kites, the farmers also have sling shots and flare-guns to fire against the drones.

"Many people in this movement are veterans from the army, police or other forces, and they are suggesting ideas on how to minimise damage," said Sarvan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, one of the farm unions leading the march.

Many servicemen in India's Punjab and Haryana states turn to farming to make a living after they retire.

Karampal Singh, a 23-year-old protestor, said the police were "forcing" farmers to act this way. "Let them do what they want, we will find a solution," he said.

The police are also using their own innovative tactics.

In addition to the usual sandbags and barbed wire, police have dug up strips of the road to the capital, or drilled nails into some stretches, to stop any vehicles from advancing.

Commuters move by a road dug up to prevent movement of heavy vehicles, in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, near Singhu border.

A worker removes nails, placed to block farmers from marching towards the national capital.

Police are also using devices that emit high-pitched sounds to halt the protesters, and they have stocked up on lubricants to make the roads slippery in case the farmers try to advance on horseback, the India Today reported.

Police in Haryana state, which the farmers must pass through to reach Delhi, said "comprehensive" arrangements have been made to enforce the law.

"CCTVs and drones are also being used to help keep an eye on mischievous elements and miscreants," said Manisha Chaudhary, a senior police officer.

Despite the authorities' efforts to stop the protest, farmers resumed marching towards the national capital on Wednesday.

The protest has been called to raise farmers' demands regarding the implementation of Minimum Support Price for crops, land acquisition rights, ban on Free Trade Agreements, punishment to perpetrators of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre and other things.

(With Reuters inputs)