Farmers' protest: Several injured, vehicles damaged as farmers, police clash at Kheri Chopta in Haryana's Hisar

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, February 23

Several farmers and policemen were injured on Friday after the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse a group of farm activists who were protesting at Kheri Chopta in Narnaund subdivivision of Hisar district. 

The police also lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the farmers who were heading to the Khanauri border point of Punjab and Haryana.

The farm activists led by khap panchayats and farmers organisations had given a call for Khanauri march today.

According to sources, a scuffle ensued between the police and protesting farmers after some cops started snatching the keys of tractors.

Several farmers and policemen suffered injuries in the violent clash that continued for about two hours. Vehicles of farmers and police were also damaged in the clash.

DSP Ravinder Sangwan, DSP Raj Singh and SHO Chander Bhan were among the injured, the sources said, adding that some injured farmer activists were admitted to private hospitals at Kheri Chopta.

The police detained about 15 farmer leaders, including Suresh Koth and Kuldeep Kharar, from the pucca morcha at Kheri Chopta. They were released by the police late in the evening after the Hisar Deputy Commissioner and Hansi SP held a meeting with farm activists.

Meanwhile, farmer leaders will hold a meeting at the pucca morcha on Saturday evening to chalk out the further course of action.