Farmer who set self afire shifted to Faridkot medical college

BATHINDA: Farmer Santa Singh, who had tried to immolate himself at Bhagta village in Bathinda district on Friday after a commission agent allegedly didn't pay him for his land on time, was on Saturday referred to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot.
According to his relatives, the 40-year-old is not able to speak due to swelling in his throat.This is why the police have not been able to record his statement and register a case. Santa, a resident of village Doiad Bandar in Moga, and his mother Shinderpal Kaur and daughter Rajwinder Kaur had gone to commission agent Sukhdev Kumar Ghochi's shop at Bhagta to request for payment of three-and-a-half acres of land sold by him in December 2013. The family has alleged that instead of giving the payment, Ghochi abused him.
Disturbed over this, Santa had set himself on fire, but was rushed to the community health centre by some people. He was referred to Bathinda civil hospital from where he was shifted to Faridkot on Saturday morning. Santa's maternal uncle Dhanna Singh said, "He has been admitted to emergency ward." However, doctors attending him declined to share on his condition.
Meanwhile, commission agent Sukhdev Kumar said he had purchased the land in December 2013 and given the entire money along with an acre-and-a-half at village Sukhanand. "We also contested the case in court where he had admitted to taking the money and land in lieu of his land at Doad Bandar village. I owe no money to him. He had come to our shop on Friday but returned after sometime."