The district administration has agreed to give Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased farmer, besides recommending a job for one member of the family. The body of the farmer, Surjeet Singh of Hameedi village, was taken to the cremation ground in a procession by villagers and activists of 17 organisations of farmers and labourers.
Those participating in the procession raised slogans like “Kisano ki qatil Badal sarkar, murdabad murdabad”, Shaheed Surjeet Singh Hameedi ko laal salaam”. Addressing the gathering at the cremation ground, BKU (Ugrahan) senior vice-president Jhanda Singh Jaithokey said farmers would continue their fight against the Badal government against the “forcible” acquisition of farmers’ land. The sacrifice of Surjeet Singh Hameedi would not go waste, he added.
Sangrur MP Vijayinder Singla and Barnala MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon visited the home of the deceased farmer and also attended his last rites. They said, “We demand a judicial probe into the land acquisition at Gobindpura for the thermal plant, besides seeking a probe into the farmer’s killing.” “As no open tenders were called for the Gobindpura thermal plant land, there may be some underhand deal between the private company and the Badal government.
