Ahead of Shambhu protest, farm leaders placed under house arrest

Ahead of the proposed protest by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) tomorrow, leaders of various farm unions were placed under house arrest in various parts of the state on Monday.

The protest is scheduled to be held at the Shambhu police station in Patiala district, demanding action against those allegedly involved in the theft of farmers’ belongings from the protest site in the third week of March. Several farmers were also injured in the police action and they had complained of their belongings going missing.

Farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was placed under house arrest by the Faridkot police at Dallewal village. A police team led by SP Manvinderbir Singh and DSP Trilochan Singh reached Dallewal’s village and restricted his movement. Dallewal went live on social media to criticise the move, claiming it reflected the government’s fear of dissent.

Over 10 leaders of the Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba), including state president Manjit Singh Rai, vice-president Davinder Singh Sandhwan and general secretary Satnam Singh Sahni, were detained at their homes and police stations across Doaba in the morning.

The Muktsar district police detained Beant Singh Khalsa, Kuldeep Singh Neta, Gian Singh Bhuttiwala and Nirmal Singh Jasseana.

In Ludhiana, Dilbagh Singh of the BKU said cops arrived at his residence at Jiwanpur village in Ludhiana around 4 am and placed him under house arrest. “We planned to go to Shambhu. There was no plan to block any road. We would have returned after a peaceful protest,” he said.

In Sangrur, at least 25 farm leaders and workers were taken in police custody. Those taken into preventive custody included Gurmail Singh Camper, Sant Ram Chhajli, Darbara Singh Lohakhera, Baljit Singh, Binder Singh, Raj Singh and Jasvir Singh Maidewas.

Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said the Punjab Government was not allowing farmers to hold peaceful protests. A senior police official from Patiala said they had deputed personnel along the route to Shambhu so that commuters and local residents were not harassed.

Punjab