Police foil farmers’ bid to hold stir in Bathinda

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 12

Over 200 farmers in Bathinda district were rounded up and later released by the police today. These farmers were on their way to Bathinda city to join an agitation that entered its 50th day today in front of the district administrative complex. Farmers alleged that the police resorted to lathi-charge, leaving several farmers injured. The police denied the charge.

In Rampura block, farmers planned to gather at a local gurdwara to march together towards the protest site in the city, but after being prevented by the police to do so, they blocked the main Chandigarh-Bathinda road from 1 pm to 5.30 pm.

Similarly, farmers held protests on the Moga-Barnala road near Pakho Kainchiyan, Sangrur-Talwani road, Bibiwanla Chowk and Goniana road against the police and administration for not allowing them to stage a peaceful, collective protest in Bathinda.

Shingara Singh Mann, president of the BKU Ugraha, Bathinda, said, “Several farmers suffered mild injuries after the police cane-charged them. Above 250 farmers from different places were rounded up. We had only planned to stage a state-level protest and announce our further decision to stage a protest on July 27, 28 and 29 at the district level, but the police in an undemocratic way prevented us from doing so.”

Bathinda SSP Swapan Sharma said, “Around 150 farmers were detained but released later in the evening. Neither was there any lathi-charge nor was any farmer thrashed.”

Farmers block Moga-Barnala highway  

Moga: Hundreds of farmers, who were heading for Bathinda to participate in a stir against the SAD-BJP government, were stopped by the police at Saidoke village on Tuesday. A group of over 200 farmers jumped over the police barricades and sat on a dharna on the Saidoke-Bhagike road blocking the traffic till the filing of this report.  TNS