BKU protests, seeks arrest of accused

Bathinda, July 19

BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) activists on Thursday staged a protest outside the Rampura police station over the alleged police inaction against three accused in an abetment of suicide case of a farmer hailing from Lehra Dhurkot village.

Addressing the protesters, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan alleged that the police were openly helping the accused, who were close to a cabinet minister.

State vice-president of the union, Jhanda Singh Jethuke, said, “Six persons were booked in connection with the case. Key accused Amarjeet Sharma was arrested after our activists staged dharna outside the police station for 25 days. However, three accused are still to be arrested. The police are trying to help these three accused instead of putting them behind the bars despite having all evidence against them.”

He warned that they would intensify their agitation if the police didn’t arrest the remaining accused.

The farmer leaders accused a commission agent, who is also a Congress leader, of trying to create hurdles in their plan to stage the protest on Thursday.

They alleged that the ruling party leader deliberately parked his vehicles at the venue of their protest in an apparent bid to thwart their plan.

Gursewak Singh, a farmer from Dhurkot Lehra village, who committed suicide on June 3, was cremated on June 29 following the arrest of key accused Amarjeet Sharma.

Gursewak had allegedly hung himself from a tree at his village on June 3.

The Rampura police had recovered a suicide note from his pocket. Gursewak had held Amarjeet Sharma of Bhagta Bhaika, Darshan Singh of Mandi Kalan and Rishu of Rampura Phul responsible for his death as they had purchased land from him, but were allegedly not making full payment.

When he asked for money, the accused reportedly threatened him, read the suicide note.

The police had registered a case against the trio on the statement of the deceased’s widow, Kulwinder Kaur. Later, the police had included three more names in the FIR. — TNS