Price of protest: 22 farmers, labourers lose their lives at Shambhu in Punjab

Bishan Singh, the eldest of four brothers, was unmarried and became active in farm unions during the 2020 protests against farm laws. He was a member of BKU (Sidhupur), led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal. His 80-year-old brother, Bachittar Singh, also unmarried, shared, “He regularly attended the dharnas at the Delhi borders in 2020-2021 and had been at the Shambhu border since February 13. A trolley from our village is still at the Shambhu border, with villagers taking turns. However, Bishan never returned. On March 18, we learned he was unwell, and shortly after, we heard he had passed away.” Bishan’s other brothers, Gurbaksh Singh and Ranjit Singh, also mourn his loss. Gurbaksh’s son, Sukhraj, who occasionally joins the dharnas, said, “I was at the Shambhu border on February 13 and later on March 13, not knowing it would be my last time seeing my uncle, who collapsed days after I returned.” Ranjit Singh, a granthi in a nearby village gurdwara, visits home occasionally. The family lives in a three-room accommodation, sharing 5 acres of land among the four brothers. Bishan’s family has not yet received compensation as he died after the implementation of the code of conduct. Sukhraj stated, “We want the Swaminathan report to be implemented.”

Gurjant Singh, 33

Village: Mansoor Dewa, District: Ferozepur, Day of death: Feb 24

Gurjant Singh, a member of the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Kisan Union, became active during the 2020-21 farm law protests. His father passed away about seven years ago due to illness. “He was my only child and had taken his tractor to the Shambhu border on February 24 to join the dharna. However, near Rajpura, he met with an accident, and his body came home,” said his mother, Amarjit Kaur, with tearful eyes. Amarjit, a hepatitis B patient, lives in a two-room house with her daughter-in-law, Paramjit Kaur, a grandson in 8th grade, and a granddaughter in 10th grade. “The area MLA, Naresh Kataria, came to give 5 lakh compensation. Earlier, my husband used to do the farming, but now we will lease it out, though we have only 2 acres of land. I also take care of our two milch animals. We have no other source of income and don’t know how to generate more income as my husband managed everything. Our real struggle for living starts now,” she added. Both women have no plans to join any dharna of unions, as they are busy struggling for their livelihood, a situation that has always been the case for them.

Zira Singh, 65

Village: Asif Wala, District: Ferozepur, Day of death: Mar 6

Zira Singh, a landless farm laborer, went to the Shambhu border on February 11 with 12-13 fellow villagers from Asif Wala. “He endured the repeated tear gas shelling at Shambhu, particularly heavy on February 21. Afterward, he developed a cough and throat infection. He took medicine from an NGO stall but did not improve, so he was sent home on February 24. He continued taking medicine and was admitted to the civil hospital, but he died on March 6. We have yet to approach the local administration for compensation,” said his son, Lakhwinder Singh. Massa Singh, a leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, commented, “This poor family was eager to be part of the dharna. They are fighting for the rights of NREGA workers and seeking a pension as they are landless. We will send his file to the local administration to seek compensation for the family, as per the decision of the previous Congress government, which offers Rs 5 lakh and a job to a family member. We will help the family complete and submit their file.”

Gian Singh, 63

Village: Chachoki, District: Gurdaspur, Day of death: Feb 16

Gian Singh was the first farmer to die at the Shambhu border on February 16, the fourth day of the dharna, due to cardiac arrest. A bachelor, he lived in the village with his nephews. The family owns only 1.5 acres of land and has received Rs 5 lakh in compensation.

Manjit Singh, 72

Village: Kangthala, District: Patiala, Day of death: Feb 18

Manjit Singh died on February 18 after feeling unwell in the trolleys at Khanauri. He passed away before reaching the hospital. A member of BKU (Krantikari), Manjit was an active participant in the protests, regularly attending dharnas and staying at the Delhi borders for extended periods in 2020-21, according to Sukhwinder Kaur, a member of BKU (Krantikari). A small farmer, Manjit had 3 acres of land, which is now managed by his family. The government has provided Rs 5 lakh in compensation.

Narenderpal Singh, 45

Village: Bathoi Kalan, District: Patiala, Day of death: Feb 18

Narenderpal Singh was participating in a dharna organized by BKU Ugrahan outside Moti Mahal in Patiala to protest against police repression at the Shambhu border. He suffered a cardiac arrest on February 18 while going home and is survived by his wife and two minor children. Shingara Singh, president of BKU Ugrahan, Bathinda branch, said, “He died on February 18. Farmers are united and support each other. His family has received compensation, but the government job is still pending.” Narenderpal was a modest farmer with less than 5 acres of land.

Darshan Singh Brar, 62

Village: Amargarh, District: Bathinda, Day of death: Feb 22

On February 6, Brar married off his son. On February 13, he joined other villagers at the Khanauri border. However, on February 22, he felt uneasy and was taken to the civil hospital in Rajpura and later to Rajindra Medical College in Patiala, where he died of cardiac arrest. “He felt uneasy after tear gas shelling at the Khanauri border on February 21, and the next day, he had a cardiac arrest,” said Tejveer Singh, spokesperson of BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh, in an interview with The Indian Express. The government has given the family Rs 5 lakh in compensation. The family has less than 5 acres of farmland.

Shubhkaran Singh Balloh, 22

Village: Balloh, District: Bathinda, Day of death: Feb 21

Shubhkaran Singh Balloh’s death is central to the agitation at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. He was allegedly killed by a bullet from the Haryana side on February 21. A zero FIR was lodged by the Punjab police, but no further action has been taken. The government announced Rs 1 crore in compensation and a government job for his sister. He is survived by his two sisters, grandmother, father, and mother. The family has around 3 acres of farmland and is associated with the BKU Sidhupur farmer union.

Karnail Singh, 63

Village: Arno, District: Patiala, Day of death: Feb 27

Karnail Singh died of a lung infection on February 27 at the Khanauri border. According to farmers, he wasn’t feeling well since February 21, when heavy tear gas shelling occurred, leading to Shubhkaran’s death and injuries to others. Karnail is survived by his wife, three daughters, and two sons. He farmed on 1.5 acres of land, which is not in his name—a common issue for many farmers tilling government land since independence. “This was another struggle he was fighting,” said Sukhwinder Kaur, a member of BKU Krantikari, to The Indian Express. Karnail was a member of this union and received Rs 5 lakh in compensation.

Baldev Singh, 60

Village: Arno, District: Patiala, Day of death: Mar 11

A marginal farmer with 2 acres of land, Baldev Singh is survived by a son, two daughters, and their families. He was a member of BKU Krantikari. His compensation file is yet to be processed due to the code of conduct, according to farmer unions. He felt uneasy on the night of March 10 and 11 and died of a cardiac arrest on March 11 at the Khanauri border. He had been at the protest site since February 13.

Balkar Singh, 76

Village: Tera Khurd, District: Amritsar, Day of death: Mar 18

Balkar Singh was a member of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee. According to information from farmers at the Shambhu border, he was about to board a train from Rajpura railway station to Amritsar when he fell unconscious and was declared brought dead at the civil hospital in Rajpura. His compensation file is yet to be processed. His grandson, Harmanpreet Singh, said, “We are landless. All of us do private jobs to earn our living.” Balkar is survived by his three sons and their families. Harmanpreet’s father remains ill and doesn’t work, while the other two sons have private jobs. “We make ends meet somehow, but we remain part of the struggles because landless people also have their voices and issues, like wages for NREGA and pensions after the age of 60,” said Harmanpreet Singh.

Tehal Singh, 40

Village: Ram Nagar Bhattal, District: Mansa, Day of death: March 18

Tehal Singh, a member of SKM non-political, died of a cardiac arrest at the Khanauri border. Farmer union leaders reported that he had been unwell since February 21 after tear gas shelling. His compensation file is yet to be processed. He was a marginal farmer with around 3 acres of land.

Sher Singh, 60

Village: Sidhuwal, District: Patiala, Day of death: Mar 26

A marginal farmer with 4 acres of land, Sher Singh had been camping at the Shambhu border since February 13. He felt uneasiness on March 26 and was taken to Rajpura hospital, where he could not be saved. He is survived by a son and a daughter. Farmer union leaders revealed that his compensation file will be processed after the code of conduct is lifted.

Mithu Ram, 68

Village: Burj Manshahia, District: Bathinda, Day of death: March 29

Mithu Ram, a marginal farmer with only 2 kanals of land, was at the Khanauri border since February 21 when tear gas shelling occurred. “He started feeling unwell afterward and regularly took medicine but to no avail. By mid-March, he was sent home as his cough and breathing issues persisted. He died a few days later,” said Guramneet Singh Mangat, a farmer leader. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.

Daya Singh, 70

Village: Tarsikka, District: Amritsar, Day of death: Mar 31

Daya Singh, a member of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, died of a cardiac arrest at the Shambhu border. His compensation file is yet to be processed. He was a small farmer with 1.5 acres of farmland and is survived by a son and his family.

Major Singh, 78

Village: Jandanwala, District: Bathinda, Day of death: Apr 10

Major Singh, a marginal farmer with around 2.5 acres of land, had been at the protest site since February 13, taking short breaks to visit home. On April 10, he returned to the morcha via train and was waiting for an auto outside Rajpura railway station when a truck crushed him, revealed farmer union leaders. He is survived by his wife, four daughters, and a son.

Surinderpal Singh, 50

Village: Akari, District: Patiala, Day of death: May 4

Surinderpal Singh collapsed near Shehra village in Rajpura when farmers stopped the vehicle of BJP candidate Preneet Kaur. He was declared dead afterward. Farmers protested outside Rajpura civil hospital for five days, demanding the arrest of BJP leader Harwinder Singh Harpalpur, accused of pushing Surinderpal. An FIR for culpable homicide was lodged against Harpalpur. Finally, on May 9, farmers agreed to cremate the body after an SIT was formed to investigate the case. Surinderpal, a marginal farmer with 2.5 acres of land, had been associated with BKU Sidhupur for over 30 years. He is survived by his wife Charanjit, with whom he had no children; they had adopted his brother’s son.

Bibi Balwinder Kaur, 55

Village: Walipur, District: Tarn Taran, Day of death: May 5

Bibi Balwinder Kaur was the first woman farmer to die in the protest at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. She arrived at Shambhu border on May 2 with other women, protesting at the Shambhu railway station during the day and sleeping in tents on the highway at night. On May 4, she felt unwell and was taken to Rajpura civil hospital, where she could not be saved, said Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. She is survived by her husband Rachpal Singh and two sons. The family has around 5 acres of farmland, according to Niranjan Singh, a farmer union leader from Tarn Taran.

Jaswant Singh, 70

Village: Shahbaj Pur, District: Tarn Taran, Day of death: May 7

Jaswant Singh, a marginal farmer, died of a cardiac arrest at the Shambhu border. He felt uneasy on May 7 and was taken to civil hospital Rajpura, where he could not be saved. He is survived by his wife, a son, and two daughters. The family does not own any land and relies on the sale and purchase of cattle for their livelihood.

Sukhmander Kaur, 61

Village: Kaler Kalan, District: Faridkot, Day of death: May 8

Sukhmander Kaur, associated with BKU Sidhupur for a long time, boarded a train from Faridkot to Khanauri on May 8. While getting down from the train, she sustained injuries as she fell on the tracks. She was taken to nearby Narwana civil hospital but succumbed to her injuries on the way. The family has around 5 acres of farmland. Kaur is survived by her husband and three married daughters.

Jagtar Singh, 62

Village: Sehjda, District: Barnala, Day of death: May 15

Jagtar Singh died of a silent cardiac arrest at the Khanauri border on May 15 after having been at the protest site for more than 15 days. He was a small farmer.

Ram Murthy, 50

Village: Bakapur, District: Jalandhar, Day of death: April 24

Ram Murthy was a landless farmer who used to take land on lease for farming. He had been visiting the Shambhu border since February 13 and used to come home for a day or two after 10 days. “On April 19, he fell unwell at Shambhu and got stomach infection and two days later, he was taken to his village. On April 24, he breathed his last while in hospital,” said Saab Singh, vice-president of BKU Doaba. Murthy had joined BKU Doaba in 2020 when farmers were protesting against farm laws. He is survived by his parents, wife and a 10-year-old daughter. His elder brother lives separately with his family. Murthy’s family now has no source of income and farmer union is helping the family a bit to meet the day-to-day expenses for the time being, said Saab Singh. The family is yet to get compensation as code of conduct is in place.