As farmers, police clash, one killed in Punjab after being ran over by tractor-trolley

In Sangrur, Punjab, during clashes between farmers and police over the alleged imprisonment of farmer leaders, a man was killed after being driven over by a tractor-trolley. The confrontations broke out the day before a scheduled Chandigarh protest by 16 farmer groups demanding compensation for flood-related damages.

In the altercations, at least five police officers were injured. According to Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surendra Lamba, the fights started after the police forbade farmers’ union members from blocking the Sangrur-Barnala route and the Badbar toll plaza.

He claimed that the farmers used buses and tractor-trolleys to get through the barriers.

Pritam Singh, the victim, suffered severe injuries after colliding with a tractor-trolley owned by one of the demonstrators, according to the police. Later, while receiving therapy, he died.

A second inspector, who just avoided being crushed by the tractor-trolley, also sustained severe injuries.

Farmers stated that the Punjab Police had detained a number of their leaders early in the day, including Bohr Singh of the BKU (Behramke), Satkar Singh Kotli of the KMSC, and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) president Sarwan Singh Pandher.

A farmer representative in Tarn Taran area also said that police arrested farmers after conducting raids at their homes.

Sukhbir Singh Badal, the leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal, criticised the AAP administration for the man’s passing and declared that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should be charged with murder ‘as it was done on his orders.’ Additionally, he urged that the police officers ‘who executed this’ be booked.

Partap Singh Bajwa, the leader of the opposition party in Punjab and a prominent member of the Congress, criticised the state police for the incident and declared that ‘police brutality against farmers and innocent people of Punjab under the AAP regime today reached a new level.’

He added that CM Bhagwant Mann ‘must explain to the people of Punjab who ordered the police to lathi-charge protesting farmers.’