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Bathinda clash: BKU leaders Ugrahan, Jethuke booked for attacking police
No arrest yet though BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) leaders booked for attempt to murder after 11 police personnel were injured in the clash over NHAI land acquisition near Dunewala village on Friday.
A day after farmers clashed with police while trying to forcibly take back land acquired for the Jamnagar-Amritsar expressway project in Bathinda’s Dunewala village, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) leaders, including its president Joginder Singh Ugrahan and state vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke, were booked for attempt to murder and other criminal offences.
Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said on Saturday that the case was registered on the complaint of Sangat station house officer (SHO) Bagh Param Paras Singh Chahal after a mob of activists led by Ugrahan and Jethuke attacked the police when they were prevented from marching towards Dunewala on Friday.
She said union district president Shingara Singh Mann, Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha, Ajay Pal Ghudda and others were among the identified, while more than 250 unidentified persons have been booked under Sections 109 (attempt to murder), 121 (1(causing grievous hurt to a public servant discharging his duty), 191 (rioting) besides other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“No accused has been arrested. A total of 20 protesters were detained before a first information report was registered,” she said.
A total of 11 police personnel and several union activists were injured in the clash near Dunewala village.
On November 21, the administration had taken possession of an 8.5-km stretch of the Jamnagar-Amritsar expressway, a Greenfield project of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The farmer union protested against the acquisition, claiming inadequate compensation to the landowners and threatened to take over possession forcibly.
This is the second time this month that the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan), stated to be the largest farmer union in Punjab, has faced police action.
On November 11, police resorted to lathicharge after three government officials were held hostage at Raike Kalan over slow paddy procurement.
Farmer union’s mischief as no beneficiary disputed compensation: DC
Deputy commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray said the land acquisition was done according to rules, and ₹690 crore has been disbursed to farmers for the acquisition of the 62.7-km stretch in Bathinda district.
After meeting the injured police personnel at Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital on Friday night, Parray said that the farmer union’s protest was mischief as no person whose land was acquired disputed the compensation.
“Rates of the land were decided according to rules and the landowners accepted the compensation. The money has been disbursed over the past several months. Even then if a person feels that he deserves higher compensation, they can approach the arbitrator and this a regular course. The administration welcomes any person or a group of individuals for talks. But no one will be allowed to take the law in his/her hand and try to take possession back,” the DC said.
Bathinda range deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar said the land is in the legitimate possession of the NHAI and it would be illegal if anyone tries to take control of it.
“Union leaders and their activists from different districts gathered in Bathinda to disturb law and order. We have a clear message that unruly persons will be dealt with strictly,” the DIG added.
