CHANDIGARH: Farmers on Friday held hostage a three-member Punjab government inspection team that had gone to check paddy stubble burning. The team members were also forced to burn the crop residue in Mehma Sarja village of Bathinda district in Punjab.
The farmers recorded the humiliation of officials and posted the video on social media sparking outrage. The police have registered a case.
On specific information, the team, led by PWD sub-divisional engineer (SDE) Harpreet Sagar and junior engineers Shamsher Singh and Sukhpal Singh reached Mehma Sarja village to find that the farmland belonging to one Ram Singh being set on fire for burning the crop residue. They urged Singh to douse the fire and tried to sensitize him, but the farmer expressed his inability to manage the stubble and made a few phone calls.
Soon, a large number of villagers reached the spot. They forced the team to set afire the stubble. Sagar had submitted a written complaint to the authorities on Friday.
After a case was registered, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered the police to act on Saturday. Bathinda SSP Gulneet Khurana said the case has been registered and the accused farmers have been identified.
ACCUSED IDENTIFIED
After a case was registered, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann ordered the police to act. Bathinda SSP Gulneet Khurana said the case has been registered and the accused will be arrested soon