Farmers halt march temporarily after one dies at protest
A farmer passed away at the Khanauri border in Haryana (Punjab-Haryana border) following clashes with the police on February 21 evening, as protesting farmers engaged in a confrontation.
The All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), representing farmers, claimed the death occurred during police action, an assertion denied by the Haryana Police. In response, the farmers have decided to halt their protest march to Delhi for two days, although the sit-in protest will persist.
The victim, 20-year-old Shubhkaran Singh was taken to Rajendra Hospital in Patiala, where he was reported by a doctor to have suffered a gunshot wound. A post-mortem examination is pending.
Dr Rekhi, Senior Medical Officer of the hospital, stated, “Three patients arrived from Khanauri. One was deceased upon arrival, while the other two are in stable condition and appear to have gunshot wounds … but this cannot be confirmed.”
The Haryana Police allegedly used tear gas shells against advancing farmers to prevent them from breaching barricades at the border, according to the farmers. This occurred after farmer leaders rejected a government proposal during the fourth round of talks—a primary issue being setting MSPs for all crops—aimed at resolving the deadlock.
The Haryana Police has denied any fatalities, with a post on X (formerly Twitter) from its handle stating, “Based on current information, no farmer has died today … It’s merely a rumour. There are reports of two policemen and one protester sustaining injuries at the Data Singh-Khanauri border, all receiving medical treatment.”
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, however, confirmed the farmer’s death, expressing his sorrow upon viewing the video footage. “As soon as I learned and saw the video, I was deeply saddened,” he informed reporters, detailing his role as an intermediary.
Following the death, two farmer groups released statements expressing anger and placing blame on both the state police and the Union government.
The farmers have been staging protests, advocating for several demands, such as the introduction of a law ensuring a minimum support price for all crops, the forgiveness of farmer loans and the adoption of the recommendations proposed by the Swaminathan Commission.
On Wednesday, the Haryana government suspended the internet in the seven districts of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa till Friday, February 23.
