A day after clashes between police and farmers in Hansi during the chief minister Nayab Singh Saini’s Independence Day programme, a local court on Sunday remanded 10 farmer activists to 14 days’ judicial custody, intensifying protests from farmer organisations and khap leaders.
The activists were produced before judicial magistrate (first class) Navnoor Kaur in Hansi, who sent them to judicial custody. The arrests followed Saturday’s confrontation in which protesters, demanding the arrest of the alleged prime accused in the murder of dairy operator Jeevan Kundu, tried to move towards the venue of the CM’s programme. Those remanded to custody have been identified as Shamsher Nambardar, Surender, Subhash Chander, Satpal, Suresh Koth, Sumit, Ranbir, Vajir, Jagmahender and Sulender. The arrests have now become a fresh point of confrontation between the administration and protesting farmers. Farmer leaders have demanded the immediate release of all those arrested in connection with Saturday’s clashes. The Kundu and Punia khaps and various farmer organisations have also called for a mahapanchayat in Hisar to deliberate on the arrests, the police action and the government’s handling of the murder case. The agitation has been continuing over the demand for the arrest of Ramesh Sharma, whom protesters have described as the main accused in the Jeevan Kundu murder case. Police have arrested several suspects in the case, while Sharma remains absconding. Reports put the number of arrested accused at nine, while police have constituted multiple teams to trace the alleged prime accused. The situation escalated after barricades were allegedly breached and stones were reportedly pelted at police personnel. Police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the protesters.
Hansi police have invoked several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections relating to unlawful assembly, rioting, violence, obstruction and assault on public servants, besides provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. A reward of ₹ 50,000 has also been announced for information leading to his arrest.
Groups of protesters arrived on tractors and other vehicles and were stopped at various points by security personnel, according to the police.
