Delhi Chalo stir: Farmer killed, 12 cops injured in clashes

A 21yearold farmer was killed and about 12 police personnel were injured in clashes between security personnel and protesting farmers at Khanauri on the PunjabHaryana borderFarmer leaders said this was the first death in clashes since the Delhi Chalo protests began on February 13Farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa said the deceased has been identified as Subhkaran Singh 21 a resident of Baloke village in Punjabs Bathinda districtPatialabased Rajindra Hospitals medical superintendent H S Rekhi told reporters that three people one of them dead were brought to the hospital from the Khanauri border pointThe deceased had an injury to his head but the exact cause of his death could be known after a postmortem examination Rekhi said adding the condition of the other two is stableTear gas shells were fired to disperse Punjab farmers at Shambhu and Khanauri border points as they tried to move towards barricades stalling their protest march to DelhiFarmers in Khanauri claimed that besides tear gas shells Haryana police personnel also fired rubber bulletsA Haryana police spokesperson however said the protesting farmers attacked security personnel with stones and sticks leaving 12 of them seriously injured at the Khanauri borderThe spokesperson further said the protesters poured chilli powder on stubble and set it on fire after surrounding the security personnel posted at the the Khanauri borderDue to the toxic smoke the policemen deputed in the area faced difficulty in breathing and irritation in the eyes said the spokespersonThe Haryana Police appealed to the farmers to protest peacefully and cooperate in maintaining law and order It also urged them to not start a fire as smoke reduces visibility and hampers polices ability to maintain orderCriticising the Haryana Police for allegedly using force on the protesters farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said the government on one side wants to hold talks with them while on the other the son of a mother who came for a law on MSP and debt waiver lost his lifeAAP leader and Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh said it was unfortunate that a young farmer died and said force was used on farmers who were holding protests peacefullyThis is murder of democracy he said condemning Haryana Police action Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal called the death of the young farmer extremely tragicThe death of Maur Bathinda boy Shubhkaran Singh in Haryana police firing at Khanauri border has sent a pall of gloom in Punjab Punjab CM BhagwantManns conspiratorial double game is responsible for the loss of this young life the only brother of two sistersThe police of another state are allowed to assault and kill Punjabis on Punjab soil with Bhagwant Mann collaborating with Haryana against Punjab farmersPeaceful protest being met with bullets unheard of in a democracy The innocent blood of Shubhkaran Singh is on Bhagwant Manns hands Badal alleged in a post on XSenior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa condemned the BJPled Haryana governmentHe also lambasted the chief minister who also holds the home portfolio for his alleged failure to stop the BJPled Haryana government from firing in area under Punjabs jurisdictionFarmer Shubkaran Singh of village Ballo district Bathinda allegedly died with a rubber bullet fired by the Haryana police while he was still in Punjabs jurisdiction protesting peacefully Bajwa claimed in his statementThousands of farmers protesting at the two border points of Punjab and Haryana had announced to resume their Delhi Chalo march at 11 am but they were yet to head towards the national capitalHaryana security personnel fired tear gas shells both at Shambhu and Khanauri border points when some young farmers tried to head towards barricadesSince February 13 farmers are gathered at the border points with their tractortrolleys minivans and pickup trucksHeavy earthmoving equipment including excavators and modified tractors were seen at the protest sites with police cautioning that these might be used to break barricades and cause harm to security personnelBesides a law on MSP the farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commissions recommendations pension for farmers and farm labourers no hike in electricity tariff withdrawal of police cases on protesters and justice for the 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 their agitation in 202021This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever