Heavy police force has been deployed at Anaitpura village amid a sense of unrest following the March 22 clash between farmers and Gujjars that left two persons dead and several injured.
The village falling under the Majitha sub-division has around 20 houses.
The police have booked 10 farmers under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and others. While there are 15 others whose identity has not been revealed.
Fearing a similar fate, several families have left the village.
Though women and the elderly mustered courage to return they are living in fear of being attacked by Gujjars.
With the tension escalating, the Amritsar (Rural Police) stepped up vigil in the area.
“Cops are working in shifts. Around 30-35 cops are deployed to prevent any untoward incident,” Majitha SHO Harsandeep Singh said.
Those who died in the clash and four of the injured belong to the Gujjar community, while the six injured are from the farmers’ group. The clash broke out over the passage of a tractor-trailer and a bullock cart. The tractor-trailer being driven by a member of the Gujjar community rammed into the bullock cart of a farmer. The cart overturned and the farmers’ group allegedly opened fire, killing two.
On the presence of a large number of Gujjars, the SHO said, “The gathering is not that big. They have come to perform some rituals. They will stay for some time but pose no threat to anyone in the village.”
{{/usCountry}}On the presence of a large number of Gujjars, the SHO said, “The gathering is not that big. They have come to perform some rituals. They will stay for some time but pose no threat to anyone in the village.”
{{/usCountry}}A migrant worker working for the main accused named in the FIR said he was going to the fields to bring fodder for the livestock when some Gujjars prevented him from doing so and threatened him.
Meanwhile, farm activists belonging to the area have come out in support of the farmers and upped their ante against the cops accusing them of favouring one party
“The police have not only taken action against those who have been injured but also arrested innocent persons such as Angrej Singh who was not involved in the clash. All farmers, except the elderly, are at large as they do not want to be arrested for no fault of theirs,” said Palwinder Singh, farmer of a nearby village Jethunangal and representative of the Kirti Kisan Union.
Ruling out any bias, SSP (Amritsar Rural) Deepak Hilori said, “We are investigating every angle. A special investigation team (SIT) is working on it. As far as action against Gujjars is concerned, we have not received any complaint against them so far. Only the accused have fled the village. Protection is being given to those who have returned home.”