Another farmer dies at Shambhu

Another farmer died at the Shambhu protest site on Friday. Pargat Singh (65) was a resident of Kakkar village in Amritsar. Fellow farmers rushed him to the government hospital at Rajpura, where he was declared “dead on arrival”.

Pargat Singh, who owned two acres of land, is survived by three children. Farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said over 40 farmers had died at the Khanauri and Shambhu protest sites since the beginning of agitation on February 13 last year.

Pandher urged the government to provide compensation to such families, besides waiving loans taken by farmers from various banks and private financial institutions.

He said, “The state government should formulate a policy for allowing compensation to the kin of people dying during such protests. Over 40 farmers have died at Khanauri and Shambhu borders since February 13 last year. Each time we have to take up the matter with the government for compensation and debt waiver.”