A group of 111 farmers began a hunger strike on Wednesday in support of veteran farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on hunger strike since November 26 at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border.
A 55-year-old farmer, Resham Singh from Pahuwind village in Tarn Taran district, allegedly ended his life by consuming poison at the Shambhu border, where farmers have been protesting for nearly a year.
Amid escalating protests across Punjab, the Supreme Court-appointed committee under retired Justice Nawab Singh has scheduled its first round of talks with Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) farmer leaders on 3 January.
Farmers throughout Punjab are staging extensive road and rail blockades on Monday as part of a state-wide shutdown, disrupting both commuter and freight transportation.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has refused to take life support and has pledged to fast unto death as part of the protest against the Union government’s ignorance and noncompliance with their demands, a farm leader accompanying him told Maktoob.
More than 17 farmers were critically injured after Haryana Police used tear gas and water cannons on protesting farmers at Punjab-Haryana’s Shambhu Border on Saturday.