Jind: Punjab, Haryana farmers again clash with police at Data Singh Wala

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, February 14

Farmers from Haryana as well as Punjab tried to get close to the barricades in an attempt to breach them at Data Singh Wala village located on the Punjab border in Narwana block of Jind district today. The police claimed that 21 personnel had suffered injuries in stone-throwing by farmers. The farmers also sustained injuries, though the number could not be specified.

The police kept up pressure on the protesters by firing tear gas shells and using water cannons. They also resorted to a lathicharge on farmers on Haryana side.

Jind SP Sumit Kumar said the protesters were armed with sticks fitted with spikes. He said 19 police men and two personnel of paramilitary forces suffered injuries in two days.

Sources said the number of farmers grew at the border on either side. They tried to cross Haryana border via wheat fields at Data Singh Wala village along the Sangrur-Jind highway, which had been blocked by the police.

However, the police chased them away. The fields had been inundated to prevent the movement of vehicles.

Haryana farmers demanded that the activists who were rounded up by the police yesterday should be released. Some farmer leaders went to talk to the police, but alleged that the police smashed the windowpanes of their vehicles and headlights of motorcycles.

Meanwhile, the situation remained stable in Fatehabad and Sirsa districts. Activists of BKU (Kheti Bachao) have started a dharna on the Ratia-Fatehabad road near Ayalki village in the district.