Cop, eight farmers injured in Bathinda mandi clash

A policeman and eight farmers suffered injuries in a clash at Raike Kalan village in Bathinda on Monday night.

Tempers flared up at Raike Kalan grain market after a group of protesting farmers reportedly held a Naib Tehsildar and a procurement gency inspector hostage. In order to free the officials and restore law and order, the police used mild force. Even two police vehicles were damaged.

Around 25 workers of the BKU (Ugrahan) under the leadership of Jagsir Singh Jhumba gheraoed Pungrain Inspector Rajveer Singh at the grain market. Later, Naib Tehsildar Vipin Kumar reached the spot and held meeting with the protesters. Soon, farm activists gheraoed the Naib Tehsildar as well.

Sensing gravity of the matter, Bathinda SDM Balkaran Singh and SP (City) Narinder Singh reached the mandi to persuade the protesters. As the police team moved ahead to free the captive officials, the protesters attacked them. ASI Paramjit Kumar and others were injured in the attack.

Officials claimed that farmers were demanding that agencies should procure paddy without checking moisture content and speed up the lifting process.

Jagsir alleged that the police used force on the farmers who were protesting against cut imposed on the MSP. He said eight farmers had been injured in the melee.

On the one hand, officials were holding talks, and on the other, cops used force against the farmers.

DC Shaukat Ahmed Parray said, “Farmers were demanding that procurement agencies should procure paddy without checking moisture content at Raike Kalan grain market. They first gheraoed Pungrain Inspector and later Naib Tehsildar. To free two officials and maintain law and order, police personnel were called in.”