BKU Ekta Ugrahan protest in Bathinda turns violent as farmers clash with police at Jeond village

A violent clash erupted between farmers and the police at Jeond village here on Wednesday. The farmers were trying to reach the District Administrative Complex (DAC) in Bathinda.

The Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) had announced an indefinite protest outside the DAC, seeking the release of its two activists — Shagandeep Singh Jeond and Baldev Singh Chauke.

Both sides pelted each other with stones and bricks. Later, the police lobbed teargas shells.

A large number of police personnel were deployed to stop the farmers from marching ahead.

Meanwhile, despite heavy police deployment, some farmers from Jaito block in Faridkot district managed to reach the DAC in the afternoon, but they were detained within minutes.

Bathinda SSP Jyoti Yadav, who is deployed at Jeond village, said, “The mob had gathered on the roofs of some residences and pelted the police team with stones. We used mild force and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them.”

Meanwhile, some farmers, including women, have been detained by the police from Jeond village.

The two activists, arrested last year in an attempt-to-murder case, are currently lodged in judicial custody. The matter is also listed for hearing before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday, as both have again applied for regular bail after their earlier pleas were dismissed.

Major police checkpoints were set up on all key roads leading into the city. In addition, several farmers were reportedly detained or placed under house arrest in different locations. The police operation began on Tuesday night.

Shingara Singh Mann, president of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), Bathinda district, reiterated on Tuesday evening that the union would go ahead with its scheduled protest on Wednesday.

Earlier, on February 6, farmers had tried to march towards Bathinda from Jeond village but were stopped near Rampura Phul on the Chandigarh-Bathinda highway, where police used teargas to disperse the crowd. Several protesters were taken into custody from Bathinda and nearby districts. However, after their unconditional release, the union suspended its agitation.

The union is now also demanding the cancellation of five FIRs registered against more than 2,000 farmers for alleged lawlessness during the February 6 protest. It had earlier given an ultimatum to the police, seeking the release of the two activists and the withdrawal of the FIRs by February 14. After the deadline passed, the union announced plans to stage a protest outside the DAC on February 18.

Baldev Singh Chauke and Shagandeep Singh Jeond have been lodged in Bathinda jail since April 5 last year. They were arrested following a protest at Jeond village on January 20, which turned violent during land demarcation and consolidation proceedings conducted in compliance with High Court directions. During the incident, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and several other personnel were injured after a mob allegedly held a Revenue Department team hostage.

The farmers, however, maintain that besides the land dispute, they were also protesting for the reinstatement of teachers at an Adarsh School in neighbouring Chauke village.