Chandigarh: Amid heightened tension during the farmers protest at the Punjab and Haryana borders, the farmer leaders on Wednesday called off the Dilli Chalo march for two days.
The decision came after a 24-year-old protestor died on Wednesday and several others were left injured.
Allegedly, a protester, identified as 24-year-old Shubh Karan Singh from Bathinda, was reportedly shot by the Haryana Police. This incident occurred amidst a surge in the farmer’s protest on Wednesday, with a significant gathering of farmers converging to recommence the Dilli Chalo march.
As per unverified accounts, H.S. Rekhi, the medical superintendent at the government-operated Rajindra Hospital, informed the press that the young man was brought in already deceased around 3 pm. Rekhi stated, “He appeared to have succumbed to a gunshot wound; however, definitive confirmation will follow after the autopsy.”
Also Read: Farmers Protest: 24-year-old protestor dies of ‘head injury’ as Haryana Police drop tear gas shells
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Patiala Range, H.S. Bhullar, claimed that the Haryana Police fired 14 tear gas shells without apparent provocation as the farmers began their march towards Delhi from the Shambhu border.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a compensation for the kin of the deceased and expressed his grief over Singh’s death. Mann also said he will investigate the incident and punish the culprits. Mann also appealed to the Centre to sort out the issues and talk to the farmers.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Arjun Munda, extended another invitation to the farmer leaders for discussions regarding the MSP (Minimum Support Price) issue. He expressed, “Following the fourth round, the government is prepared to address all concerns, including the MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble issue, and FIR, in the upcoming fifth round.”
Earlier in the week, negotiations with the Centre regarding the MSP demands had failed. The leaders of the farmers’ protest had declared their intention to resume their protest starting Wednesday and had urged authorities to open the borders to facilitate their continued protest.
Jagjit Singh Dallewal, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), had said that after thorough discussion and analysis of the proposal, they concluded it offered no benefit to farmers. “Both forums have unanimously agreed that this proposal does not favour the farmers. We maintain our demand for MSP on all 23 crops,” he said.
Meanwhile, a police officer, marking the third consecutive such incident, passed away on Tuesday night after falling ill.
