2 farm leaders detained in Hisar

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, February 18

The police detained two farmer activists Suresh Koth and Ravi Azad, who planned to march to the Delhi border along with their supporters, during the meeting of farmers at the Kheri Chopta village in Hisar district today.

Hundreds of farmers from various villages arrived at Kheri Chopta on tractors today on the call given by a mahapanchayat held in Sisay village of the district on February 15.

During the meeting, farmer activist Koth urged activists to start a march to Delhi. Talking to mediapersons, he said that they had decided to undertake a tractor march to Delhi.

“The Haryana Government has done wrong by blocking the way of Punjab farmers from coming to Haryana to raise their demands. Not only have the police blocked their way but also unleashed lathicharge, teargas and water cannons,” he said.

Koth said that they had started their march to Delhi and would stay for the night at the place where they would reach by evening. But soon after he started the march to Delhi, the police officials who were deployed at the site detained him and took him away.

However, another section of farmers stayed put at Kheri Chopta.

Vikas Sisar, another farmer activist, said the police were trying to bargain with them on the release of farmer activists Suresh Koth and Ravi Azad. “We have conveyed to the police that both the farmer leaders should be released immediately. If the police do not release them, we will intensify the stir tomorrow,” he said, adding that the farmers would not bow down to any kind of pressure.