Mahapanchayat at Khatkar village: Farmers demand release of three protestors

The Jind police had arrested Anish Khatkar, a native of Khatkar village prior to a programme scheduled at Khatkar toll plaza on March 19 for paying tribute to Shubhkaran Singh, 21, a farmer who died at Khanauri border in the clashes erupted between police and farmers on February 21

Farmers from Haryana and Punjab, seeking the release of three farmers arrested by the Haryana police during the ongoing farmers’ agitation at Haryana and Punjab borders, organised a mahapanchayat at Khatkar village in Jind district on Monday.

The protesters sat on the Delhi-Patiala highway for one hour from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm to press for their demands and gave an ultimatum to the state government to release the protesters by April 27, otherwise, they will take strict decisions (Manoj Dhaka/HT)

The protesters sat on the Delhi-Patiala highway for one hour from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm to press for their demands and gave an ultimatum to the state government to release the protesters by April 27, otherwise, they will take strict decisions.

The Jind police had arrested Anish Khatkar, a native of Khatkar village prior to a programme scheduled at Khatkar toll plaza on March 19 for paying tribute to Shubhkaran Singh, 21, a farmer who died at Khanauri border in the clashes erupted between police and farmers on February 21. Gurkirat and Navdeep Jalbera were reportedly nabbed on March 29 near Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali, in a case registered on February 13 in connection with the ongoing farmers’ agitation on the Haryana-Punjab border. The Haryana police had booked them under attempt to murder and other sections of the Indian Penal Code along with several fellow farmers.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal who was present in the event stated that it was just a symbolic roadblock protest and major action would be taken on April 27 in connection with the arrests made by Haryana police.

“We will not apply for the bail as the farmers did not commit any crime. They were just raising the voice of their fellow farmers but the state police are trying to suppress the peaceful protest by using force. We may take any strict action such as indefinite blockade of railway tracks and roads if demands are not met within the given time,” he added.