Tear gas, drones in Bathinda: 2nd crackdown in 12 days as Punjab Police block farmers from marching to DC Office

According to sources, farmers initially staged a sit-in protest on the Bathinda–Chandigarh highway, which led to traffic disruption. However, amid heavy police deployment and continued action, the protesters later shifted the dharna from the highway to an internal village road in Jeond.

As farmers attempted to move towards the city, the police blocked their march and resorted to firing tear gas shells. Drones were also spotted hovering over the area, though it remained unclear whether they were deployed for surveillance or to drop tear gas shells.

Farmers allegedly responded with stone pelting from a distance.

‘Police didn’t even spare a religious place’

Shingara Singh Mann, president of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) Bathinda district, alleged that the police action was unprovoked and excessive.

“We are staging a dharna in Jeond village as of now,” Mann said.

He further alleged, “The police attacked us while we were gathered peacefully in a village ‘dera’. They didn’t even spare a religious place. They demolished the shed of a villager, and his six goats were killed. One youngster was forcibly taken into custody from the dharna, and houses in adjoining villages were raided.”

Mann claimed that the police action came even as farmers were awaiting a legal decision. “We were waiting for the High Court’s decision on the bail of our leaders when police threw tear gas shells at us. This is a violation of human rights,” he alleged.

KMM condemns police action

Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), has strongly condemned the police action on the farmers and alleged that the Bhagwant Mann government is trying to gag the voice of farmers at the behest of Union Minister Amit Shah. “The Centre is trying to implement the draft electricity amendment bill and the US-India trade deal decisions, and hence they are trying to crush the Kisan Mazdoor movement in Punjab. However, we will strongly lodge a protest against this police action and Bhagwant Mann should stop living in a fool’s paradise that farmers will relent to his pressure,” he said.

Meanwhile, a delegation representing Sanjha Mazdoor Morcha has stated that it would be meeting the deputy commissioner of Bathinda at 4 pm over the issue of police action on farmers.

Wednesday’s mobilisation was aimed at pressing for the release of Baldev Singh Chauke and Sagandeep Singh Jeond, senior BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) leaders who have been lodged in Bathinda jail since April 2025. The two are facing charges of attempt to murder in connection with earlier agitations.

Union president Joginder Singh Ugrahan has alleged that the cases are politically motivated and part of an attempt to intimidate farmer leadership. Farmers had planned to hold a dharna outside the DC office on both February 6 and February 18 seeking their release.

On February 6, farmers from Bathinda, Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa, and other districts were stopped from entering Bathinda through multi-layer barricading on highways. Tear gas shells and lathi charge were used, and several union members were detained from their homes a night earlier. They were released later that evening.

Following the February 6 protest, the Bathinda police also registered fresh cases against union leaders, invoking charges of causing public inconvenience and obstructing government officials from performing their duties.

Origin of the case

The arrests of Chauke and Jeond stem from a January 2025 confrontation in Jeond village linked to a decades-old land dispute between original landowners and tenant cultivators. Revenue officers, acting on court orders, had gone to the village for land demarcation, which was opposed by farmers backed by BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan).

The situation escalated after police intervention, during which a deputy superintendent of police sustained a fractured arm. Multiple FIRs, including attempt to murder and obstruction of officials, were subsequently registered.

Senior Superintendent of Police Jyoti Yadav told mediapersons that the police were trying to maintain law and order and bring the situation under control.

Observers note that the Punjab Government’s firm handling of farmer unions is being seen as unusual during the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party government, especially as the state moves closer to the 2027 Assembly elections.