Gurugram: Hansi witnessed a tense morning on Independence Day as farmers who were trying to block Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s flag hoisting programme clashed with police, leaving several protesters and two senior police officers injured.
The police used lathi-charge to disperse farmers who had gathered to stop Saini’s event at the government college in Hansi, about 26 km from Hisar, leaving many with head injuries.
The farmers also responded with stone-pelting, injuring Hansi Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar and a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
In videos circulating after the incident, SP Kumar was seen tying a handkerchief around his hand to stop the bleeding as the clash escalated, with police also pelting stones at the crowd.
Women who had come to protest ran into nearby shops to take shelter, while police used force to push back farmers gathered on the Sisai bridge.
The unrest stems from mounting anger over the delayed arrest of the main accused in the murder of Hisar dairy owner Jeewan Kundu, who was beaten to death with sticks on August 4. Police have arrested nine people in the case so far.
The main accused, Ramesh Sharma, remains at large, with police announcing a reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to his arrest and issuing a lookout circular to prevent him from fleeing the country. Angry over the delay, farmers and khap representatives had shut seven toll plazas in the area for three hours a day earlier.
Protesters have refused to cremate Kundu’s body until the main accused is arrested, keeping the case at the centre of a sustained agitation across Hisar and Hansi.
Suresh Koth, a member of the protest committee, alleged that Ramesh Sharma was related to Uchana BJP MLA Devender Attri and had managed to evade arrest because he had political support.
Attri has, however, rejected the charge, saying Sharma belongs to his native village and is a distant, fifth-generation relative whose family shifted to Hisar 35 years ago, adding that his family had no tradition of shielding those accused of murder.
Jassi Petwar, Congress MLA from Narnaund, posted a video of the clash on his Facebook page.
“What kind of freedom is Haryana Police handing out on Independence Day on the Chief Minister’s orders? It is the government’s job to deliver justice, yet lathis are being rained down on people who are only demanding justice. Today’s question is not just about a lathi-charge, it is about democracy and the rights of citizens. Has raising one’s voice for justice and one’s rights now become a crime? Freedom does not mean fear—it means the freedom to speak up with justice and dignity,” Patwar said in a message posted with the video.
Hansi SP Vinod Kumar didn’t respond to calls and a message to his mobile.
Sandeep Sharma, PRO of Hansi Police said the entire police force was still busy with the Independence Day function and CM Nayab Saini’s visit.
“Once we are free from here then only I will be able to get information about the number of people and police personnel injured in the incident and the number of people arrested by the police,” Sharma told ThePrint.
Despite the clash, Saini went ahead with the flag hoisting at the government college in Hansi, as celebrations continued under heavy police deployment around the venue.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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