‘Dilli Chalo’ march: 22-year-old from Punjab dies as Haryana uses force to stop farmers

Shubhkaran Singh, a youth from Balloh village in Bathinda district, became the first casualty in the protest by farmers after he died of a head injury. He was declared “brought dead” at the Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.

It was not clear what caused Shubhkaran’s head injury.

DIG (Patiala range) Harcharan Singh Bhullar told The Indian Express, “While the exact details will be made available by doctors, the information we have is that a rubber bullet hit him (Shubhkaran). We have sent a DSP to coordinate with the doctors.”

Citing the preliminary information he received, Bhullar said, “A group of protesters tried to create a smokescreen by setting stubble on fire and security personnel hurled tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets.”

The protester who died at Khanauri border has been identified as Shubhkaran Singh.

Rajindra Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Harnam Singh Rekhi said, “Shubhkaran was brought dead from Khanauri with an injury on the back of the head.” He said it could be a bullet injury, but the exact cause of the injury would be known only after a post-mortem examination. On a doctor saying that a fall after being hit by a bullet may have caused the injury, Dr Rekhi said, “(This) cannot be ruled out.”

The death of the youth prompted farmer leaders to put the protest march on hold until Friday. Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarvan Singh Pandher, who was present at Shambhu border, said they would “review” the situation Friday.

Later in the evening, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, president of the BKU Ekta (Sidhupur), who had been struck by a teargas shell, was admitted to the Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.

Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda called for peace, and a return to the talk table.

“After the fourth round (of talks), the government is ready to discuss all issues like the MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble issue and FIRs (against farmers). I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion. It is important for us to maintain peace,” Munda said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann vowed to punish those responsible for Shubhkaran’s death. “I have seen the video of the incident. We will conduct an investigation and register an FIR against the guilty officers.”

The Indian Express tried reaching out to Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij and DGP SS Kapur for comments but they were not available.

In a video statement on X about the Khanauri incident, Haryana Police AIG Manisha Chaudhry said the “protesters surrounded the police from all sides, set fire to paddy stubble by sprinkling chilli powder, attacked the policemen using sticks and maces and indulged in stone pelting” leaving “12 personnel seriously injured”. There was no mention of Shubhkaran’s death in the statement.

Patiala Deputy Commissioner SA Parray said at least 26 people were injured – 17 at Khanauri and 9 at Shambhu. Four were referred to the Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, he said.

Earlier, at Shambhu, farmers leaders including Pandher and Dallewal, along with their supporters, moved towards the border while calling for restraint. It was then that teargas shells were fired in their direction.

As he was led out, Dallewal said, “We were not armed. There was no provocation. But they (Haryana personnel) started hurling teargas shells at us. This is what they have been doing, lobbing shells at youths. How do they say then that the youths have been provoking them? What they are doing is not done,” he said.

Before the news of the youth’s death at Khanauri, the farmers leaders, who had given a call for the march to start at 11 am, had engaged in talks with officials at the Shambhu border for a fifth round of talks with Central ministers. They stormed out of the meeting after learning of Shubhkaran’s death.