Amritsar: BKU (Ekta) activists injured while trying to break police barricades

Farmers associated with Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) were detained by the police as they were moving towards Bhadari Bridge in protest over their various demands. The police had blocked the entrance road to the city near Mahla bridge.

The farmers allegedly tried to break the barricades during which two schoolchildren and a women police constable were injured, claimed police officials. The farmer union also claimed that many of their workers were also injured in the clash with the police.

Police officials said farmers had given a call to protest against a recent incident in which police and civil administration officials had helped a bank get possession of a property on the orders of the high court.

DCP (Investigation) RPS Sandhu said, “The union had initiated the protest on the same day and given a call for a protest blaming an SHO. In reality, the SHO and other officers were there to ensure the compliance of the high court orders.”

Meanwhile, the farmers claimed that they were demanding action against an SDM who had allegedly committed malpractices in issuance of compensation to landowners for their lands acquired for Bharat Mala project. The farmers argued that it was due to the highhandedness of the police that they were not allowed to reach the protest site.

Palwinder Singh Mahal of the union said, “At least three deputy commissioners have submitted their reports against the SDM, but no action has been taken in this regard so far.” The farmers are an aggrieved party in cases where compensation was not paid rightfully and they cannot even go to the deputy commissioner’s office to file their complaints. Mahal said the state government is using unfair means to muzzle the voice of the protesting farmers.