Case against 40 for attacking SHO; farmers allege police harassed women

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, September 20

The Longowal Police on Tuesday night registered a case against 40 farmers and their family members for attacking a SHO and a police party .

At least six persons, including Longowal SHO and Munshi, were injured in a clash between the farmers and the police last evening.

Meanwhile, the farmers alleged that the police harassed their women and they were implicated in a false case.

"Police have registered a false case. Today we are holding a protest near Guga Mairi, a religious place in Longowal," said Sarup Chand, Longowal unit chief of BKU, Ugraha.

Kisan Morcha leader Bhupinder Singh said farmers from all district would reach Longowal in a while to join them in the protest against the police.

Meanwhile, farmers have accused the SHO and police of misbehaving with their family members and women during raids to arrest BKU Ugraha leaders’ to foil their proposed September 22 agitation.

Trouble began at around 7 pm when SHO Longowal Vijay Kumar with Munshi Hardev Singh and a few policemen went to the houses of BKU, Ugraha, leaders Ranjit Singh and Gurmale Singh in Wadiani Patti, to arrest them.

The leaders were not at home. 

Jaswinder Singh Soma, vice-president of BKU, Ugraha, alleged: “As Ranjit Singh and Gurmale Singh were not at home, SHO Vijay along with other policemen allegedly started threatening and misbehaving with their women. When the other farmers objected, policemen attacked them with sticks. Our farmers, Manpreet Singh, Ranjit Singh, Ranjit Kaur and Surjit Kaur, have suffered injuries and have been admitted to a hospital.”

But SHO Vijay alleged that farmers started pelting stones on them when they reached near the houses.

“Farmers were sitting on the rooftops of the houses and started pelting stones as we came. I and my Munshi suffered head injuries,” he said.

DSP Sunam William Jeji said: “We have registered a case against 40 persons for attacking police party and conducting investigations. If farmer organsations want to convey anything to us, they can meet me anytime.”