Clash between protesting farmers and police in Bathinda; stones pelted, tear gas fired
PTC News Desk: Police fired tear gas shells after farmers allegedly pelted stones at police personnel during a protest in Punjab's Bathinda. The farmers are protesting to press their demands seeking release of two farmers who were arrested last year.
Farmers under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) were stopped while they were marching towards Bathinda city to stage a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner's office in Bathinda.
Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police Jyoti Yadav Bains said the "mob" was pelting stones from rooftops at police.
"The mob showed aggression, but we contained it. The situation is under control," said Bains.
After being stopped, the farmers staged a protest along the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway near Rampura Phul, pressing for their demands. Soon after a scuffle broke out between farmers and police personnel. To control the situation, additional police personnel were deployed in the village. Following incidents of stone-pelting, police fired tear gas shells and detained several farmers. The SSP stated that the police used necessary force to bring the situation under control.
The BKU had called Wednesday's protest to seek the release of farmers Shagandeep Singh Jeond and Baldev Singh Chauke, who were arrested during a protest last year and have been lodged in Bathinda jail since April.
Due to the highway blockade, traffic from Bathinda to Chandigarh was diverted through village routes. Meanwhile, in Samana (Patiala), farmers heading towards Bathinda also clashed with police and were subsequently detained. In Sheron village of Sangrur, scuffles were reported among protesting farmers, leading to further detentions.
- PTC NEWS
