Bathinda: A case has been registered against a dozen farmer leaders based on the statements of injured police officers and employees after a clash between farmers and police at Dunnewala village in Bathinda over the Bharat Mala project. At the Sangat Mandi police station in Bathinda, the police have registered a case against 250 to 300 farmers including Bhartiya Kisan Union state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan and others.
Late last evening, there was a fierce clash between farmers and police while reclaiming the acquired land over the Bharat Mala project. The police used tear gas shells along with a lathi charge.
Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan announced to hold a big rally again today and reach the designated place. After the farmers’ announcement, the police have made strict security arrangements and forces have also been called from other districts.
It is worth noting that the atmosphere in Bathinda, Punjab, had become tense on Friday when farmers and police came face to face. Farmers were protesting over the land acquired for the Amritsar-Jamnagar National Highway and Bharatmala Road project.
A clash broke out between the farmers and the police who had come to vacate the land. After this, the police had to use force to disperse the farmers. The police lathi-charged the farmers and also fired tear gas shells. A heavy police force has been deployed at the spot. Senior officers of the police department have also reached the spot.
9 km of land in Bathinda’s villages Dunnewala and Shergarh was acquired for the Amritsar-Jamnagar National Highway and Bharatmala Road. For this the government has given compensation to the farmers. However the farmers were not giving possession of the land to the administration.