Farmer leaders want Punjab to register murder case for death of protester at Khanauri

Demand Punjab government act against Haryana Police personnel for allegedly damaging 25-30 tractor-trolleys after entering into the state’s territory

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday demanded the registration of a murder case against those responsible for the death of a protester, Shubhkaran Singh, 21, of Bathinda, due to Haryana Police action at Khanauri on the Sangrur-Jind border.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal (in green turban) with additional director general of police (ADGP), intelligence, Jaskaran Singh and Punjab Police officials at Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala on Thursday. (HT Photo)

Pandher said the Punjab government should take action against the Haryana personnel for allegedly damaging 25-30 tractor-trolleys after entering into the state’s territory.

A farmer died and 12 Haryana Police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri on Wednesday. The incident took place when protesters tried to head towards the barricades put up to prevent their entry into Haryana as part of their Delhi Chalo march.

Speaking to reporters in Patiala, Pandher accused the Haryana security personnel of entering into Punjab territory and using force against protesters at Khanauri border point. “We want the Punjab government to register a case under Section 302 (murder of the IPC),” said Pandher.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal demanded that the Punjab government give the status of martyr to Shubhkaran.

Family members of Shubhkaran Singh, including his grandmother Balbir Kaur (extreme left) in mourning at Balon village of Bathinda district on Thursday. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

Dallewal also demanded that the Punjab government take notice of Haryana security personnel allegedly damaging 25-30 tractor-trolleys in Punjab territory.

The farmer leaders gave a call for putting up black flags atop houses and on vehicles to register their protest against the death of the protester.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said that stringent action would be taken against those responsible for the death. “After the post-mortem, a case will be registered. The officials responsible for his death will have to face stringent action,” Mann had said.

Meanwhile, additional director general of police (ADGP), intelligence, Jaskaran Singh and Bathinda district police chief Harmanbir Singh Gill met Dallewal at the Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where he was admitted on Wednesday night after he complained of uneasiness.

Farmer leaders on Wednesday put the Delhi Chalo march on hold for two days after the death and said that they would decide their next course of action on Friday evening.

Haryana Police on Wednesday fired tear-gas shells at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points multiple times to disperse groups of protesters when they attempted to move towards the layers of barricades stalling their march to the national capital.

Thousands of farmers remain camped at Khanauri and Shambhu with their tractor-trolleys and trucks agitating for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver.

The Punjab farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.