CHANDIGARH: Eight cops and 10 protesters were injured in a clash at the light point of sectors 33 and 34 during Tuesday’s Bharat Bandh when the farmers tried to burn an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside the BJP office in Sector 33.
The protesters pelted the police party with stones and damaged its vehicles. It compelled the cops to use water cannon and lathi charge. Several agitators were detained and booked. The 600-odd marchers that the city kisan unions had sent to the BJP office from the Sector 34 gurdwara met police barricades at the first roundabout. Argument broke out over Sikh cops’ assaulting Sikh protesters.
The protesters drove a tractor through the barricades, almost running a woman constable over. She received minor injuries. The farmers overpowered the cops and marched forward into the cold dart of water cannon. A few climbed the bowser, thrashed its operator, and smashed the truck. Spear-wielding Nihangs injured another constable badly and he was moved to hospital. Later, police thrashed and arrested the attacker.
The famers got to the BJP office and tried to barge in but the cops had fortified the gates with tractors and other vehicles. The protesters burnt the PM’s effigy outside. Senior superintendent of police Kuldeep Singh Chahal, SP (City) Vineet Kumar, and a few station house officers came with reinforcement and dispersed the crowd. The SSP joined in the effort.
Police public relations officer DSP Charanjit Singh Virk said: “Eight cops, including the Sector 34 SHO, were injured. Cops resorted to a mild lathi charge and booked a few protesters for rioting, assault, and damaging public property. The Congress blocked traffic at the Hallomajra light point, where police detained 60 protesters. Pardeep Chhabr of the local party unit led this 2-hour agitation that caused a 2-kilometre logjam on the Delhi highway.
Distracted by the protest at Hallomajra light point, a driver carrying newlyweds crashed the car into a road divider, bringing minor injuries to the groom. The driver claimed the crowd had blocked his vision A combative woman argued with the cops in Sector 34: “I am 62 but I alone can smash this BJP office if you let me beyond the barricades.” She told Om Parkash, officer in charge of the Burail police post, “Cops hit me with canes but I don’t fear them, as many sons and brothers are here to protect me.”
The agitators asked the central government to repeal three agri-marketing laws. Sector-31 SHO Paramjit Kaur took reinforcement to the spot and diverted the traffic towards Daria village. She failed pacify the protesters, who kept occupying the road. The 60 protesters caught along with Chhabra were taken to the Sector 39 police station and released after registration of names, addresses, and other details.
The Sector 34 police booked Yuva Kisan Ekta president Kripal Singh, besides protesters Kulbir Singh, Mohan Singh, Laadi Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Ram Bir Singh, Gurnam Singh, and Sukh Kharaund under the sections related with roiting and assaulting the cops. No arrest has been made, so far.