E-Paper
Over 40 injured as cops, farmers clash in Hisar village
Tension prevailed as the Haryana police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesting farmers, who were planning to move towards Khanauri border from Hisar’s Khedi Chopta village on Friday. At least 24 policemen, including DSP-rank officers, and 20 farmers received injuries in a clash that broke out at Chopta village when the farmers were holding a mahapanchayat.
Tension prevailed as the Haryana police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesting farmers, who were planning to move towards Khanauri border from Hisar’s Khedi Chopta village on Friday. At least 24 policemen, including DSP-rank officers, and 20 farmers received injuries in a clash that broke out at Chopta village when the farmers were holding a mahapanchayat.
The injured policemen were rushed to the community health centre (CHC) at Mirchpur village in Hisar’s Hansi. Some cops, who received major injuries, were referred to the civil hospital, Hisar. The situation is tense in the village and heavy police force has been deployed to control the law and order situation.
Nearly 25 farmers were arrested by the police, and they were taken to Hansi police station. Police said the protesting farmers had damaged 16 vehicles, including three buses and fire brigade vehicle. However, the farmers claimed that the policemen had deflated the tires of their vehicles, besides damaging their tractor-trailers.
According to information, the clash occurred when the farmers announced to move towards Khanauri from Khedi Chopta village in Hisar. When the farmers started moving towards their tractor-trailers around 2.30 pm, the police deployed heavy security to stop them from moving ahead. When the farmers started going from the protest venue at Khedi Chopta village, the cops started firing tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse them. The farmers pelted the cops with stones.
Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union’s national president Suresh Koth had given a call to move towards the Khanauri border if the government does not accept protesting farmers’ demand by 2 pm. The farmers were protesting at Khedi Chopta village for the last five days.
All India Kisan Sabha Hisar president Shamsher Nambardar said that policemen used water cannons and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
“At least 20 farmers received injuries and 25 protesters were arrested by the Hisar police. The police had used iron nails to deflate the tires of their tractors. The cops lathicharged the farmers when we started our march towards Khanauri and they parked vehicles to block our way,” he said.
He said that a committee of farmers has been formed to decide the further course of action tomorrow.
Hansi police spokesman Kuldeep Singh said that 24 cops sustained injuries, of which three are critical and they were rushed to different hospitals in Hisar.
“No FIR was registered so far and the senior police officials along with administrative officials are holding a meeting,” he added.
Hansi SP Maqsood Ahmed and Hisar deputy commissioner Uttam Singh reached Khedi Chopta village to assess the situation and later they went to CHC, Mirchpur, to meet the injured cops. The duo could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
