Gurugram: Farmers’ representatives leading the march on Delhi at Shambhu and Khanauri borders, as well as the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), have claimed that a 21-year-old farmer from Punjab’s Bathinda part of the ‘Dilli Chalo’ caravan, died as a result of police action against the agitating farmers — a claim the Haryana police have refuted.
After the fourth rounds of talks held Monday between Union ministers and agitating farmers failed to yield results, leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non Political) had announced their plans to resume their march on Delhi starting 21 February. But their efforts to proceed towards the national capital were thwarted by Haryana police who used tear gas shells to deter them from entering the state.
Amid heavy usage of tear gas shells by the police at Shambhu border, SKM (Non Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal told reporters Wednesday afternoon that he had been informed about the death of one Shubhkaran Singh, a young farmer, as a result of police action.
Soon after, Haryana Youth Congress announced Shubhkaran Singh’s death in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Heartbreaking news from Khannauri, Punjab: A young life, Shubhkaran Singh, son of Charanjeet Singh from Ballo, Bathinda, aged 21-22, was tragically lost due to police action against peaceful farmer protests,” it read.
Heartbreaking news from Khannauri, Punjab: A young life, Shubhkaran Singh, son of Charanjeet Singh from Ballo, Bathinda, aged 21-22, was tragically lost due to police action against peaceful farmer protests. This violence against our youth and farmers must end. We demand justice… pic.twitter.com/pn0YnI2ByM
— Haryana Youth Congress (@Haryana_YC) February 21, 2024
In another post on X, Haryana Youth Congress claimed that Shubhkaran died because of a gunshot wound to the head.
अति दुःखद
खनौरी बोर्डेर पर नौजवान शुभकरन सिंह की सिर में पुलिस की गोली लगने से मौत
विनम्र श्रधांजलि 🙏🙏#FarmersProtest2024 pic.twitter.com/T9BeQWpGp9
— Haryana Youth Congress (@Haryana_YC) February 21, 2024
Dr H.S. Rekhi, medical superintendent at Patiala’s Rajindra Hospital, confirmed that Shubhkaran Singh and two others were brought to the hospital and that the 21-year-old was declared “brought dead”.
Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal took to X to say that the “death of Maur (Bathinda) boy Shubhkaran Singh in Haryana police firing at Khanauri border has sent a pall of gloom in Punjab”.
Badal blamed the Haryana government and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for Shubhkaran’s death. “The police of another state are allowed to assault and kill Punjabis on Punjab soil, with Bhagwant Mann collaborating with Haryana against Punjab farmers. Peaceful protest being met with bullets unheard of in a democracy. The innocent blood of Shubhkaran Singh is on Bhagwant Mann’s hands,” wrote Badal.
Extremely tragic. The death of Maur (Bathinda) boy Shubhkaran Singh in Haryana police firing at Khanauri border has sent a pall of gloom in Punjab.
Punjab CM @BhagwantMann’s conspiratorial double game is responsible for the loss of this young life, the only brother of two…
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) February 21, 2024
The Haryana police, however, said it had received no such information yet about the death of a farmer during the confrontation earlier Wednesday between police personnel and agitating farmers. “There is news of two police officers and one demonstrator sustaining injuries at the Singh-Khanauri border and they are under treatment,” it said.
अभी तक की प्राप्त जानकारी के अनुसार आज #किसानआंदोलन में किसी भी किसान की मृत्यु नहीं हुई है। यह मात्र एक अफवाह है। दाता सिंह-खनोरी बॉर्डर पर दो पुलिसकर्मियों तथा एक प्रदर्शनकारी के घायल होने की सूचना है जो उपचाराधीन है। @ssk303 @DGPPunjabPolice @cmohry @anilvijminister
— Haryana Police (@police_haryana) February 21, 2024
In another post on X, Haryana police “strongly denied” 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”.
“He is admitted in PGI Rohtak by Haryana police for treatment and is completely out of danger,” it added.
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
Meanwhile, the central government Wednesday extended an invite to farmers’ leaders for a fresh round of talks.
Union Minister Arjun Munda, one of the three ministers of the Modi government holding talks with farmers’ leaders, wrote on X that the government is ready to discuss issues including a legal guarantee for MSP, crop diversification and withdrawal of FIR lodged against farmers.
सरकार चौथे दौर के बाद पांचवें दौर में सभी मुद्दे जैसे की MSP की माँग, crop diversification, पराली का विषय, FIR पर बातचीत के लिए तैयार है।मैं दोबारा किसान नेताओं को चर्चा के लिए आमंत्रित करता हूँ। हमें शांति बनाये रखना जरूरी है।@AHindinews@DDNewsHindi@DDKisanChannel
— Arjun Munda (@MundaArjun) February 21, 2024
During a press conference at Shambhu border later in the day, farmers’ leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that the farmers’ bodies have decided to suspend ‘Dilli Chalo’ march for the next two days to review the situation in view of the death of a young farmer from Punjab and injuries suffered by more than 100 others in the “brutal” action by Haryana Police.
“The farmers will not try to move towards Delhi on Thursday and Friday. During these two days we will take stock of the situation. Shubhkaran Singh, a young farmer, has died of bullet injury and three others have been grievously injured. Besides, more than 100 farmers have been injured in the police action at Khanauri and Shambhu borders,” Pandher said.
He alleged that the police crossed the barricades at Khanauri border and used brutal force against farmers, killing one and injuring several others. Pandher also alleged that a farmer from Haryana was brutally assaulted and taken away by the police.
This is an updated version of the report
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
Also Read: Union ministers ‘tricked us’, say farmer leaders, lash out at Punjab CM Mann as well