As many as 26 trucks loaded with paddy from Uttar Pradesh were seized by the farmers sitting on protest against the farm legislations on the National Highway near Amritsar, in the past 24 hours.
The paddy lot arriving “illegally” from UP’s Aligarh, Bulandshahr and Sitarganj was ordered by the rice mills of Amritsar and Tarn Taran.
Rajewala sarpanch Dilbagh Singh said 20 trucks were intercepted on Wednesday and six during the wee hours of Thursday.
He said the trucks caught their fancy after one of the truck drivers stopped to enquire about a mill. “We were bewildered to know that the truck was loaded with paddy from UP. They told us that thousands of paddy filled trucks from UP were heading towards Punjab. We have detained the drivers and operators and will not let them go unless police files FIR against the suppliers and the mill owners who ordered this illegal consignment,” he said.
“After going through documents, we found that one of the truck operators managed to reach here without proper documentation. This proves the whole administrative and police machinery is involved in this illegal trading,” he said.