A day after clashes between police and farmers in Hansi during the chief minister Nayab Singh Saini’s Independence Day programme, a local court on Sunday remanded 10 farmer activists to 14 days’ judicial custody, intensifying protests from farmer organisations and khap leaders.
The activists were produced before judicial magistrate (first class) Navnoor Kaur in Hansi, who sent them to judicial custody. The arrests followed Saturday’s confrontation in which protesters, demanding the arrest of the alleged prime accused in the murder of dairy operator Jeevan Kundu, tried to move towards the venue of the CM’s programme.
Those remanded to custody have been identified as Shamsher Nambardar, Surender, Subhash Chander, Satpal, Suresh Koth, Sumit, Ranbir, Vajir, Jagmahender and Sulender.
Hansi police have invoked several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections relating to unlawful assembly, rioting, violence, obstruction and assault on public servants, besides provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
The arrests have now become a fresh point of confrontation between the administration and protesting farmers. Farmer leaders have demanded the immediate release of all those arrested in connection with Saturday’s clashes.
{{/usCountry}}The arrests have now become a fresh point of confrontation between the administration and protesting farmers. Farmer leaders have demanded the immediate release of all those arrested in connection with Saturday’s clashes.
{{/usCountry}}Despite prohibitory restrictions imposed by the Hisar administration, protesters resumed their dharna outside the mini secretariat. Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni, Congress MP Jai Prakash, MLA Jassi Petwar and JJP leader Digvijay Chautala also joined the meeting with protesters on Sunday.
The Kundu and Punia khaps and various farmer organisations have also called for a mahapanchayat in Hisar to deliberate on the arrests, the police action and the government’s handling of the murder case.
The agitation has been continuing over the demand for the arrest of Ramesh Sharma, whom protesters have described as the main accused in the Jeevan Kundu murder case. Police have arrested several suspects in the case, while Sharma remains absconding. Reports put the number of arrested accused at nine, while police have constituted multiple teams to trace the alleged prime accused. A reward of ₹50,000 has also been announced for information leading to his arrest.
The confrontation occurred early on August 15 when protesters, who had announced that they would oppose the CM’s Independence Day function in Hansi, attempted to proceed towards the venue.
According to the police, groups of protesters arrived on tractors and other vehicles and were stopped at various points by security personnel. The situation escalated after barricades were allegedly breached and stones were reportedly pelted at police personnel. Police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the protesters.
Around six police personnel, including Hansi SP Vinod Kumar and a DSP-rank officer, were injured in the clashes. Several protesters were also injured. Despite the confrontation, the CM’s programme was held without further disruption after security forces cordoned off the venue.
In view of the escalating situation, Hisar district magistrate and deputy commissioner Mahendra Pal imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, with effect from August 15 until further orders.
The order prohibits the assembly of four or more persons at any place in Hisar city and also restricts parking of vehicles on both sides of roads within 200 metres.
The administration cited apprehensions of disruption to public order amid continuing protests, sit-ins by supporters of the murder victim and calls for the closure of toll plazas.
The restrictions came after farmer organisations and khap representatives had already escalated their agitation. On Friday, protesters shut seven toll plazas across Hisar, Hansi and Rohtak for nearly three hours, demanding the arrest of the alleged prime accused in the Jeevan Kundu murder case.
The police action has also triggered political criticism. Congress MP Kumari Selja on Sunday demanded a high-level and impartial inquiry into both the murder case and the police action during Saturday’s protest, questioning the delay in arresting the alleged prime accused.
With the arrest of 10 farmer activists now becoming a central demand of the protesters and khaps and farmer organisations preparing to deliberate on their next course of action, the Hansi-Hisar region remains on edge.
People familiar with the matter said the government has invited the protesting committee members for talks. The committee members are likely to meet the CM in Chandigarh on Monday. Meanwhile, the mahapanchayat decided that if the talks fail to yield a solution, the protesters will block the Hisar-Delhi, Hisar-Sirsa and Hisar-Chandigarh national highways.
Hooda slams govt over lathi-charge
Former Haryana chief minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda condemned the lathi-charge and clashes reported in Hansi, accusing the BJP government of relying on force instead of dialogue to deal with public grievances.
Addressing a press conference after meeting people at the office of Baroda MLA Induraj Narwal, Hooda said, “In a democracy, solutions are found through dialogue. The BJP wants to run the government through the use of force.”
Referring to the Hansi violence, he said the confrontation could have been avoided had the government acted promptly against all those accused in the Jeevan Kundu murder case.