Bathinda: Several farmers and police officers including three SHOs sustained injuries following a clash in Mansa over the proposed gas pipeline at Lelena village in Bathinda in the early hours of Thursday. Some vehicles were also damaged in the clash.
The issue erupted when police stopped a bunch of farmers from the Sangrur border during the blockade at Mansa Kaichan. The ensuing clash erupted to such an extent that police had to resort to lathi-charge, prompting equal retaliation by farmers.
In the ruckus, many police personnel including SHOs of Mansa City II, Mansa Sadar, Budhlada, and Bhikhi sustained injuries. No official statement has been issued from both parties on the issue. The injured have been taken to the civic hospital in Mansa.
In a related development, the release of the detained farmer leaders including Rakesh Tikait has been termed by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) as a victory of democracy against autocracy.
In a statement, SKM said stopping Tikait from attending the Kisan Panchayat on Wednesday was a "denial of his fundamental rights" and the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government was compelled to release Tikait, Roopesh Verma, Sukhbeer Khalifa, and Sunil Fauji because of the unity of the Kisan movement.
The protest at 'Zero point' in Greater Noida will continue "till all the demands of the protesting farmers are conceded," it said.
Tikait and several other leaders were detained Wednesday at Tappal Police Station of Aligarh and were released the same evening. Farmers have been protesting against the state administration and local authorities over the alleged denial of compensation and other benefits for their land acquired by the state government in the past.
They embarked on a 'Delhi Chalo' march on December 2 but were stopped by the police after which they sat on a dharna at the Dalit Prerna Sthal. Police cracked down on the protesters the following day.
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