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Punjab: Farmer attempts suicide at Shambhu, dies in Patiala hospital
Second such incident in a month at protest site on the Punjab and Haryana border, where farmers have been agitating for almost a year, urging the Centre to guarantee MSP on crops.
A 55-year-old farmer protesting at the Shambhu border committed suicide on Thursday by consuming a poisonous substance, farmer leaders said. This is the second such incident at the agitation site in three weeks.
The farmer from Tarn Taran district took the extreme step at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana where agitators have been protesting for almost a year, urging the Centre to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) convener Sarwan Singh Pandher said the victim consumed the poison around 9am when langar (meal from the community kitchen) was being served.
He was rushed to the civil hospital at Rajpura before being referred to the Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where doctors declared him dead.
Farmer leader Tejvir Singh said the victim was upset with the central government for not resolving the farmers’ issues despite their protracted protest. “Both the KMM and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) have demanded an FIR against the Centre for abetment to suicide,” Pandher said, demanding a compensation of ₹25 lakh for the victim’s family.
Another farmer from Ludhiana had committed suicide at the Shambhu border on December 18. He was distressed by the deteriorating health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, 70, who has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26.
Under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
