Jhajjar sees political activity after two suicides

Ravinder Saini

Suicides by a debt-ridden farmer and a youth belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) category in police custody have raised political temperature in Jhajjar district.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, MLA Geeta Bhukkal, Swaraj Party chief Yogendra Yadav and Jannayak Janata Party leader Digvijay Chautala were among the prominent leaders who visited the bereaved families.

It was due to political pressure mounted by these leaders that the government transferred an Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Department in connection with waterlogged fields and Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar had to come forward to help members of the deceased farmer’s family while Jhajjar SP Pankaj Nain suspended two policemen for dereliction of duty in taking care of the SC youth in custody. 

Prakash Punia (55), a farmer of Khuddan village, ended his life by hanging himself from a tree in his field adjoining Amadalpur village on November 15. He had lost his entire paddy crop on three acres following rains. He was the sole breadwinner of his family and was under immense pressure to repay the installment of the agricultural loan.  

Rajesh (22), an SC, committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at the city police post in Jhajjar on November 27. He ran an e-rickshaw to earn livelihood and was also taking care of his elderly mother and younger sister. He was in police custody in connection with the disappearance of a boy. 

“No doubt, Jhajjar has witnessed a sudden rise in political activities after these two incidents of suicide that highlight farmers’ plight and atrocities on SC people. These gave an opportunity to leaders of Opposition parties to corner the state government. Both issues are politically significant and will have a bearing on the forthcoming elections in Jhajjar,” says Hitendra Gurjar, a political analyst.  

Rajesh Kumar, a social activist, says these incidents have not only exposed the ‘irresponsible’ functioning of the Irrigation Department in draining out stagnant water from fields, but also highlighted ‘negligence’ on the part of the police in taking care of people in custody.    

Ram Kanwar, a farmer leader, says it is the responsibility of the Irrigation Department to dewater fields on priority. “Fields in Khuddan village were inundated for the past two months but Irrigation Department officials became active only after political leaders started visiting the village following Prakash’s suicide and mounted pressure on the government,” says Kanwar. 

Sonu, a farmer from Khuddan village, says villagers had approached the Irrigation Department several times for the removal of accumulated water from their fields, but to no avail. “The fields were dewatered within a couple of days after political leaders raised the issue,” he claims.

Negligence on the part of the police was observed in the case of suicide by Rajesh in custody. “As per the rules, policemen are duty bound to ensure the security and safety of those in custody or summoned for questioning in a police post/ station in connection with any case. Prakash committed suicide due to the negligence of the policemen on duty,” says Ravinder Kaushik, an advocate dealing with criminal cases.

Shashank Sawan, Assistant Superintendent of Police, says two policemen suspended in the case were supposed to have taken care of Rajesh instead of leaving him alone in the police post.