Farmer dies during protest, Haryana Police calls it a ‘rumour’

CHANDIGARH — A protesting farmer died of a head injury and several injured as Haryana Police dropped tear gas shells at the Shambhu and Khanauri border in Punjab on Wednesday afternoon.

The deceased, Jugraj Singh, died at the Khanauri border.

However, Haryana Police clarified that no farmer died on Wednesday during the farmers’ protest. “This is just a rumour. There is information about two policemen and one protestor being injured at Data Singh-Khanauri border who is undergoing treatment,” it said in a post on X.

The fake news of abduction of one farmer named Preet s/o Davinder Singh r/oVillage Nawa Gao Dist Sangrur by Haryana Police at Khanauri border is strongly denied.He is admitted in PGI Rohtak by Haryana police for treatment and is completely out of danger @ssk303 @DGPPunjabPolice

— Haryana Police (@police_haryana) February 21, 2024

A medical officer at Patiala’s Rajindra Hospital said prima facie the victim suffered a rubber bullet injury.

Hospitals in five Punjab districts have been put on alert following the confrontation between protesting farmers and the Haryana Police.

Police have erected several layers of barricades on the Punjab-Haryana borders with tense situations and not allowing the farmers to move towards the national capital over demands, including higher minimum crop prices and waiver of loans.

Haryana Police fire tear gas shells to disperse protesting farmers

Haryana Police on Wednesday fired tear gas shells as protesting farmers on the Shambhu border, bordering Haryana, tried to breach the border. However, farmers’ leaders have been appealing to the protesters to keep it peaceful.

The farmers, who are staging their protest march towards the national capital over demands comprising the law guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) of crops, are armed with gas masks, bulldozers and heavy machines to force their entry into Haryana from Punjab.

Haryana Police have warned the owners of earthmover machines and bulldozers, saying “you may be held criminally liable”.

In a post on X, the police said these machines can be used to harm security forces, which is a non-bailable offence.

“Owners and operators of poclains and JCBs, please do not provide the services of our equipment to the protesters. Please withdraw these machines from the protest site. These machines may be used to cause harm to security forces, it’s a non-bailable offence and you may be held criminally liable,” the police said.

A huge build-up of farmers from Punjab and Haryana continued on borders of Haryana as they are ready to head to the national capital to lodge their protest over demands as they rejected the government proposal.

Related story: Centre ready to discuss all issues with farmers, says Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda