CHANDIGARH: A protest by farmers at Jeond in Bathinda turned violent after clashes erupted between demonstrators and police as the farmers attempted to march to the District Administrative Complex (DAC). Several farmers were injured when police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Both sides reportedly pelted stones and bricks at each other before the police intensified action with tear gas.
Police had set up checkpoints on all key roads leading into the city. Several farmers were reportedly detained or placed under house arrest at different locations as the operation began on Tuesday night. A few farmers, including women, were also detained from Jeond village.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bathinda, Jyoti Yadav claimed that a mob had gathered on the rooftops of some houses and pelted stones at police personnel. She claimed that the police used mild force and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
However, a protesting farmer alleged that the police used tear gas and threw stones without any provocation. Holding a protest is a democratic right, he said, accusing the police of raiding the residences of farmer leaders to take them into custody ahead of the protest call.
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) had announced an indefinite protest outside the DAC, demanding the release of its two activists, Shagandeep Singh Jeond and Baldev Singh Chauke. The two were arrested during a protest last year and have been lodged in Bathinda jail since April. Despite heavy police deployment, some farmers from the Jaito block in Faridkot district managed to reach the DAC in the afternoon but were immediately detained. Meanwhile, a court granted bail to Shagandeep and Baldev on Wednesday.
Earlier, on February 6, farmers had attempted to march towards Bathinda from Jeond village but were stopped near Rampura Phul on the Chandigarh-Bathinda highway, where police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Many protesters were taken into custody from Bathinda and nearby districts. However, following their unconditional release, the union temporarily suspended its protest.
The farmers are demanding the cancellation of five FIRs registered against more than 2,000 farmers for alleged lawlessness during the February 6 protest. They had earlier issued an ultimatum to the police, seeking the release of the two activists and the withdrawal of cases against them by February 14. After the deadline passed, the union announced plans to stage a protest outside the DAC on February 18.
In Samana in Patiala, several farmers heading to Bathinda to join the protest were stopped by police near Gajewas village on the Samana-Bhawanigarh road, where soil-laden tipper trucks were parked across the route. Some farmers also scuffled with police near a gurdwara in Samana after being prevented from proceeding further.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said that protests across Punjab would continue until all leaders and workers detained during the agitation are released. He added that victory rallies would be organised on Thursday.