7 PROTESTERS FROM BATHINDA ARRESTED IN DELHI FOR R-DAY VIOLENCE

DELHI : Police arrested seven protesters belonging to Bangi Nihal Singh Wala village in Bathinda district on Friday for the violence in the national capital on Republic Day.

Lamenting the police action, family members of the seven villagers demanded their immediate release and withdrawal of the cases.

Bathinda Range inspector general Jaskaran Singh, however, said he was unaware if any resident of the district had been arrested by Delhi Police.

Village sarpanch Rajinder Singh, who headed to Delhi on Thursday night with members of the affected families, said the seven were arrested by police authorities from Paschim Vihar (West). He said all seven were members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) and were protesting at Tikri border.

“The families were informed telephonically on Thursday. The seven have been implicated and we demand their release,” he said.

All face non-bailable charges: Activist

Manjit Singh Buttar, a youth activist from Bangi Nihal Singh Wala, said the villagers were arrested under Section 333 (voluntarily causes grievous hurt to any person being a public servant in the discharge of his duty as such public servant) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“All face non-bailable charges. The village stands with their families,” he said.

Kulwinder Kaur, whose husband Jagsir Singh, 34, was among those held in Delhi, said a group of 40 villagers had left on January 23 to join the tractor march.

“It was his third visit to the Delhi border. Farmers have been fighting to safeguard their interest. The government should release them without delay,” she said.

The Delhi Police also conducted raids at the Peerdaad locality of Jalandhar city on Friday morning in search of one accused in in connection with the Delhi violence case.