Police on backfoot, remove attempt to murder charges
KARNAL: Facing criticism for using force against farmers, the Yamunanagar police on Tuesday removed Section 307 (attempt to murder) from the FIR registered against around 150 peasants.
However, the other sections, including 120 B (conspiracy) will remain and the 35 farmers, who were arrested at Radaur while going for the Delhi gherao on February 23, have been sent to judicial custody.
Talking to HT, Yamunanagar superintendent of police (SP) Rajesh Kalia said, “Section 307 has been withdrawn after the investigation as there was no evidence to prove the charges of attempt to murder.”
On why the police invoked the section 307, he said, “Earlier, there were reports that some farmers tried to hit their tractors into policemen, but the claims could not be proved.”
“Other sections mentioned in the FIR will remain and 35 farmers arrested by the police will have to remain in judicial custody until they get bail from the court”, the SP said.
Regarding the lathicharge on farmers on February 23, he said, “The farmers first pelted stones at the police and the cops had to lathicharge to clear the road.”
When his attention was drawn to chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s remark that no FIR has been registered against farmers, the SP said, “The FIR was registered against around 150 farmers and their tractortrailers were impounded as they refused to clear the blockade.”
On why the police stopped the farmers from joining the protesters in Delhi, he said, “There were directions from the government to stop farmers to avoid any untoward incidents.”
Meanwhile, farmers are slamming the police for misuse of power to suppress their protest.
Farmers said they are facing problems in taking their produce to the sugarmill as the police have impounded their vehicles.
FARMERS TO GHERAO ASSEMBLY ON MAR 12
Meanwhile, Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Chaduni said farmers have decided to launch a fresh agitation with a bike rally from Radaur to Chandigarh, where they will gherao the Haryana assembly on the day budget presentation on March 12.
“We will start our protest from Radaur on February 28 , pass through several districtsof Haryana and reach Chandigarh to gherao assembly on March 12,” he said.