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Haryana govt forms 3-member panel to probe Hisar violence
Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala announced a three-member panel; over 700 protesters have been arrested in connection with the violence at Hisar power plant
: The Haryana government on Saturday formed a three member panel to probe the violence at a thermal power plant in Hisar that claimed the life of a farmer, as police booked over 700 protesters in connection with the incident on various charges, including murder and rioting.
A 56-year-old farmer was killed and four others, including three policemen, sustained injuries when a tractor driver tried to ram the vehicle into a barricade but it ran over them during a protest by farmers outside Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant (RGTPP) at Khedar village in Hisar on Friday, forcing the police to use water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.
The residents of Khedar and adjoining villages have been protesting against the new guidelines issued by the ministry of power to stop giving free ash to farmers, which they have been getting for the last many years.
Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala announced a three-member panel led by senior IPS officer Mohammad Akil to investigate the entire incident.
Other members of the panel include Jind SP Narender Bijraniya and Hisar deputy commissioner Priyanka Soni.
Hisar police spokesman Vikas Kumar said as many as10 persons by name and over 700 unknown protesters were booked under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307(attempt to murder), 147 (rioting), 148, 149, 109, 323, 332, 333 and 353 of the Indian penal code (IPC) at Barwala police station in connection with the violence.
Till filing of the copy, the protesters were holding a sit-in at the protest site and the police was deployed near the railway track to maintain law and order. The administrative officials held a meeting with the protesters, which remained unsuccessful.
Family refuses to allow postmortem
The family members of the deceased, Dharmpal, and other protesters on Saturday refused to allow his postmortem and returned back from a hospital in Agroha, where his body was lying, to the protest site.
“The officials asked to cremate the farmer’s body once it reached the village and tried to impose several conditions. We have returned back from the hospital and Dharmpal’s body is lying there. His autopsy will be conducted after our 11 –member panel will give a go ahead. Many of our protesters are still missing,” said Suresh Koth, a farmer leader.
The members of Gaushala Sangharsh Committee, which is heading the protest, alleged that the administrative officials refused to induct their member into a penal, which will look after the entire postmortem process of the deceased.
However, a spokesman of Hisar administration said a team of four doctors will conduct the postmortem of the deceased and the whole process will be videographed.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesman Rakesh Tikait, who attended the panchayat at Khedar village along with several farmers’ and khap leaders, asked the government to resolve the issue, warning of dire consequences.
Former Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja accused the government for the farmer’s death. “The state government should give financial assistance and a job to the next of the kin of the victim,” she added.
