Bull attack: Injured farmers leave hospital crowded

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 10

The Emergency ward at the Bathinda Civil Hospital was left crowded with injured farmers who were brought on stretchers to the hospital after they were attacked by a bull during a protest.

Around 35 farmers, including 17 women, were injured and hospitalised this afternoon when a raging bull entered and charged into farmers staging a protest near the Bathinda district complex.

However, farmers were annoyed over the absence of any ambulance. Farmers brought the injured persons in their own vehicles.

Many reached the hospital in buses and jeeps from other districts of the Malwa belt. Doctors failed to manage such a large number of injured people at the same time. However, health officials acted swiftly to tackle the situation. Along with doctors, a number of nurses, staff nurses and nursing students joined the task, thus giving a helping hand to doctors.

The road where farmers had staged a protest was cordoned off by the police.

They have been staging the protest since morning against the state government demanding compensation for farmers and action against companies that provided ineffective pesticides after a probe.

A large number of farmers from Mansa district under the aegis of the Bhartiya Kisan Union reached the venue about 1 pm in jeeps, pick-up vans, and mini buses to stage the protest.

Farmer and labour union leader Mahipal said: “Our protesting farmers and labouers were badly injured. We had brought them all inside the hospital for treatment.

Most of the injured have been discharged from the hospital while two injured, including a woman, are yet to be relieved,” they said.