Farmer’s death: Patiala BJP leader booked for culpable homicide

A day after a 65-year-old farmer, Surinder Pal Singh, died during a protest against BJP candidate from Patiala Preneet Kaur at Sehra village in Rajpura, police on Sunday booked a local saffron party leader under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code

Patiala : A day after a 65-year-old farmer, Surinder Pal Singh, died during a protest against BJP candidate from Patiala Preneet Kaur at Sehra village in Rajpura, police on Sunday booked a local saffron party leader under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A day after a 65-year-old farmer, Surinder Pal Singh, died during a protest against BJP candidate from Patiala Preneet Kaur at Sehra village in Rajpura, police on Sunday booked a local saffron party leader under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to a first information report (FIR) registered on the complaint of Resham Singh, nephew of the deceased, at the Kheri Gandian police station, the farmer was pushed by Harwinder Singh Harpalpur, who had recently switched to the BJP from the Shiromani Akali Dal, when Preneet started walking towards the venue of the election meeting at the village.

In the melee, Surinder fell on his back. He was rushed to the Rajpura civil hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the FIR states.

Reacting to the FIR, Harpalpur said he was being falsely implicated in the case following pressure from farmer unions.

“The video of the incident clearly shows that the farmer fell down on his own,” the BJP leader said.

The BJP candidates and leaders have been facing protests from farmers during their campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.