Chandimandir toll plaza violence: Farmers booked for unlawful assembly, rioting

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, October 3

A day after farmers broke barricades in an attempt to march towards Haryana Speaker and Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta’s residence, the police today booked unidentified protesters for rioting and unlawful assembly.

Based on a complaint of Duty Magistrate and Kalka Tehsildar Vikram Singla, the police filed an FIR under Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 336 (causing grievous hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) at the Chandimandir police station.

BKU (Charuni) district unit head Narinder Singh Nayagaon condemned the FIR against farmers. “It’s not the first time the police have filed a fake FIR against farmers.

They (police) have been resorting to similar acts since the start of the farmers’ movement. We have every right to know who gave the orders to lathicharge farmers. The entire episode should be investigated,” said Narinder Singh.

SHO, Chandimandir, Inspector Arvind Kumar said the investigation was on and nobody had been arrested so far. The farmers, following the call of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, had decided to stage a protest against the government’s decision to delay the procurement of paddy.

The police made adequate security arrangements and put-up barricades near the Chandimandir toll barrier to stop the farmers from entering the city area.

However, the protestors, mainly youngsters, broke the barricades with tractors and clashed with the police. Both farmers and police personnel sustained injuries in the incident.

The police claimed that they had to use “mild force” after the protestors, who were riding tractors, tried to run over the police personnel.

The police had also detained around 50 protesters at different sites, including the BJP’s district office in Sector 2.

The police action prompted BKU leader Gurnam Singh Charuni to stage a dharna at the toll plaza, following which the police released all detainees and seized tractors.

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