FARMER KILLED, 17 BKU ACTIVISTS INJURED AFTER BUS RAMS INTO TRUCK

BATHINDA: A farmer was killed and 17 others were injured when a private bus rammed into a truck parked on the roadside near Kot Fatta village, about 25km from Bathinda, on Tuesday night.

Police said all victims were Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) activists who were returning after the eight-day protest against the farm bills outside former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s house in Badal village of neighbouring Muktsar district ended.

Mukhtiar Singh, 62, of Kishangarh village in Bathinda died during treatment in the local civil hospital.

Two other farmers had multiple injuries. Eleven injured are undergoing treatment at the civil hospital and a private health institute.

The farmers were returning to their villages in a private bus that broke down. They were headed home in another bus that rammed into the truck on the roadside.

Activists allege delayed medical attention,block traffic

BKU activists alleged delayed medical attention to the accident victims and blocked traffic at the busy ITI Chowk, the intersection connecting Bathinda with Haryana and Rajasthan besides Talwandi Sabo and Mansa districts of Punjab.

Following a protest by farmers, state Congress president Sunil Jakhar, finance minister Manpreet Badal and revenue minister Gurpreet Kangar rushed to the hospitals.

Manpreet said the government would compensate the accident victims.

BKU leader Jasbir Singh Burj Sema demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation and government job deceased’s family.