One protesting farmer said to be associated with the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) was found hanging from a tree at the Singhu border farmer protest site on Wednesday. The deceased, a regular protestor against the three farm laws, has been identified as Gurpreet Singh (45), a resident of Amroh district in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib.
Reportedly, Gurpreet was associated with the Jagjit Singh Dallewal faction of Bhartiya Kisan Union, Sidhupur. He is survived by his wife and a 20-year-old son, who is on his way to Sonipat from Punjab.
‘A case of suicide’
The Kundli Police has sent the body of the deceased for post-mortem and launched an investigation into the death. While speaking with OpIndia, SHO of Kundli Police Station, Ravi Kumar said, “The people associated with him (Gurpreet) have informed that it is a case of suicide. They said he was troubled since a past few days.”
A statement issued by the police station says that they have been told that the farmer was mentally disturbed. The police also informed that Gurpreet Singh was a frequent visitor at the farmer protest site, and was at the site for the last 5-6 months.
Haryana | 1 person died by suicide after hanging himself from a tree near Sushant City, Sonepat this morning. Reason of death not known, but we’ve been told that he was mentally disturbed. Dead body brought to Civil Hospital:Pradeep Kumar, Investigating officer,Kundali Police Stn pic.twitter.com/R2KAyz0KvP
— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2021
As per an Indian Express report, BKU’s Ekta Sidhupur district convener Gurjinder Singh informed that Gurpreet was upset over the prolonged protests. “He had returned to the Singhu border site after visiting his village on Monday. In his conversation with farmers over the past two days, he had mentioned that he was upset regarding the impasse over the repeal of farm laws and that despite farmers protesting for over a year, the government had not been listening to the demands of farmers,” claimed Gurjinder.
The farmer leader informed that as soon as he received information of the incident (around 6 am today), he rushed Gurpreet to a hospital where he was declared dead.
As of now, the police have maintained that it is a case of suicide. Virender Singh, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), law and order, Sonipat, said, “As per preliminary information, it appears to be a case of suicide. A probe has been initiated.” Reports suggest that the police are recording statements of the eyewitnesses.
Both self-acclaimed farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and BKU have not issued any statement on the incident. However, Tikait did put out a Tweet on Tuesday talking about the deaths that took place in the past year allegedly due to the ongoing protests. “750 farmers have been martyred and not a single condolence message has come from the Government of India. So the farmers of the country feel that the Prime Minister is not the Prime Minister of the farmers,” Tikait Tweeted in Hindi.
The death came weeks after the brutal murder of Lakhbir Singh at the protest site by Nihang Sikhs accusing him of blasphemy.
‘The government should repeal the black laws’
Using the death of a protestor to further their demand, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, BKU Ekta Sidhupur, Punjab State President said, “This is a very unfortunate incident. The government should repeal the black laws immediately.”
“He was regular at volunteering at morcha meetings and was part of protests in the village. He had been camping at the Singhu border since last year. He owned a small amount of land and to make ends meet, he used to drive a school van before Covid-19 hit,” Dallewal informed.
BKU eyes Uttar Pradesh
Meanwhile, Tikait is eyeing a large-scale event in soon-to-be poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. To mark the completion of one year of farmers’ protests, Tikait has organized a Mahapachayat in Lucknow on November 22.
• ऐतिहासिक होगी लखनऊ में आयोजित 22 नवंबर की किसान महापंचायत ।
— Rakesh Tikait (@RakeshTikaitBKU) November 9, 2021
• SKM की यह महापंचायत किसान विरोधी सरकार और तीनों काले कानूनों के विरोध में ताबूत में आखिरी कील साबित होगी ।
• अब पूर्वांचल में भी और तेज होगा अन्नदाता का आंदोलन ।#22NovemberLucknowKisanMahapanchayat
He announced another gherao using tractors at multiple locations in the country to intensify the protest.
