Two farmers arrested, two dozen others detained for forcing a government official to burn stubble
Bathinda News: Kaka Singh Kotra, the state general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), has alleged that more than two dozen farmers, including Bathinda district president Baldev Singh Sandoha of the same outfit, were detained by the police last night. However, these allegations have not been confirmed by any police officer.
According to sources, last night, the police detained two farmers, Shivraj Singh and Surjit Singh, who were allegedly involved in the Mahima Sarja stubble burning case. Surjit Singh serves as the president of the village unit of the Kisan Union.
The video in question went viral on Saturday. It depicted the burning of stubble in the fields of Mehma Sarja village in Bathinda district. In the video, a nodal officer who had conducted raid to inspect the fields where the farmers’ organization intended to conduct stubble burning was taken captive. He was subjected to insults and was forced to hold a matchstick, igniting the stubble in the field.
Shortly after the video gained widespread attention, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered the registration of a case against the accused. In response to a complaint by Public Works Department SDO Harpreet Sagar, a case under various sections was registered against nine individuals at Police Station Nehianwala.
On November 6, the Deputy Commissioner and SSP in Bathinda held a press conference, emphasizing that strict action would be taken in the matter. Allegedly, administrative actions were taken during the night. Following the detention of two farmers last night, members of the organization and local residents gathered.