At least sixteen farmers protesting against the newly introduced three agri laws in New Delhi lost their lives till 8 December, since the “Dilli Chalo” protests started on 24 November, reported The Federal.
As per the report, eleven farmers died due to heart attack, four in road accidents, and one due to the winter chill of the national capital; on average, one farmer died per day.
On 24 November, the first farmer death was reported when a farmer and an activist of the Bhartiya Kisaan Union, one of the farmer unions participating in the ongoing farmers’ agitation, Kahan Singh was hit by a car while covering tractor-trailers with waterproof tarpaulin in Mehalkalan town of Barnala district. The Bhartiya Kisaan Union declared him “the first martyr of the Delhi morcha”.
On 28 November, a resident of Ludhiana’s Khatra village, 55-year-old Gajjan Singh died at the Tikri border. His family told The Federal that Gajjan had fallen ill after getting repeatedly wet due to the use of water cannons by the Haryana government on protesters. “While precious lives of farmers were lost due to freezing cold conditions and mishaps, the haughty and hamstrung Modi government was not ready to shed its ego and hold hands of the farmers,” said State Kisan wing president and Kotkapura Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Kultar Singh Sandhwan.
A 32-year-old Ajay Mor from Sonipat in Haryana was found dead at the Singhu border, on 8 December, where protesters were camping. Mor died due to hypothermia (caused due to prolonged exposure to cold conditions), the chief medical officer in Sonipat told The Federal.
On the same day, a 58-year-old Kitab Singh Chahal died of cardiac arrest in Jind district, during a bandh call.
However, the government is yet to make a comment on the deaths of farmers. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted: “Ten protesting farmers have lost their lives until now. Does it not stir PM Modi’s heart?”
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has announced financial support of 1,00,000 rupees to the families of farmers who have “sacrificed” their life. Punjab Chief Minister Capt, Amarinder Singh also announced financial assistance of 5,00,000 rupees for the families of two such farmers.
Financial help of 2,00,000 rupees each was announced by the independent MLA Balraj Kundu for the families of farmers who have died during the agitation. Induraj Narwal, MLA from Baroda, has also announced compensation for farmers and demanded 50,00,000 rupees as compensation and a government job for the families of farmers who died during the agitation.
Here is the list of farmers, who died so far:
24 November: Kahan Singh (Dhaner, Barnala)
27 November: Dhanna Singh (Chehlanwali)
28 November: Gajjan Singh (Bhangu Khatra)
29 November: Janak Raj (Dhanaula, Barnala)
30 November: Gurdev Singh (Attar Singhwala)
2 December: Gurjant Singh (Bachhoana, Mansa)
3 December: Gurbachan Singh Sibia (Bhinderkhurd, Moga) and Baljinder Singh (Jhamat, Ludhiana)
4 December: Lakhvir Singh (Laleana, Bathinda)
7 December: Karnail Singh (Sherpur, Sangrur) and Rajinder Kaur (Gangohar, Barnala)
8 December: Gurmail Kaur (Gharachon, Bathinda), Mewa Singh (Khote, Faridkot), Ajay Mor (Sonepat), and Lakhvir Singh (Jharon, Sangrur) and Kitab Singh Chahal (Jind).
