Haryana: Lathicharge on Farmers in Karnal, 10 Injured
NEW DELHI- At least 10 farmers sustained critical injuries after police used lathi-charge on them when they were on their way to Karnal for a protest against a meeting of the BJP. The state-level meeting was attended by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJP state president OP Bhankar.
In protest against the police lathi-charge, a large num ber of farmers blocked the National Highway-44 near Bastara toll plaza even as a huge number of security personnel were deployed. After the protest, toll plazas in Karnal, Panipat and Ambala were closed.
The toll plaza in Panipat was also blocked for about an hour. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed his displeasure and said nobody should create obstructions in the programme of anyone.
The BKU had communicated with farmers for reaching Bastara toll plaza where they converged. Besides, roads were blocked at Jalmana, Assandh in protest against the lathi-charge. The protest resulted in a tense atmosphere at Bastara toll plaza for the fact that farmers were unflinching in their attitude to move towards Karnal for the agitation programme.
IG Mamta Singh was present at the toll plaza. The the farmers blocked national highway after the arrival of BKU president Gurnam Singh Charuni. He addressed the farmers and urged them not to take the law into their hands and to protest in a peaceful way. Charuni stressed that all the farmers detained by the police be released.
Roads were also blocked at Titram Mor in Kaithal and Cheeka, Kaithal. Also, roads were blocked on the Delhi-Rohtak highway at Jakhoda bypass near the Tikri border in protest against Karnal cane charge.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda condemned the lathi-charge and termed it as an inhuman act of the police authorities.
