Leaders, govt hold talks to defuse Gharsana crisis

Sriganganagar, Oct 26 (UNI) At least 6,000 farmers have assembled in a village in Ganganagar district today, where the body of the farmer Chanduram Saran is lying.

Several Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangarsh Samiti leaders including Amraram, Vallabh Kocher, Sant Lekha Singh, Hiralal Indora, Vijaylakhshmi Bishnoi and Congress state president Dr B D Kalla are camping in the village since morning. They are currently mediating with the state government over their demands at Satrana BSF guest house near Gharsana.

Divisional Commissioner Vinod Kapur and Inspector General of Police Laxman Meena are representing the government's side.

The leaders are demanding a compensation package for victim's immediate kin, release of arrested leaders and implementaion fo Ajmer agreement on water.

They are also demanding that Chanduram's post-mortem be conductde by a medical board, which will not comprise doctors who treated him at the hospital.

The farmers, meanwhile, want to take Chanduram's body to Gharsana's Sub-Divisional Magistrate office from where their agitation took off, alleging, that Chanduram who was seriously hurt in police firing was forcefully discharged from the hospital and thus died due to the negligence of doctors.

They have refused to cremate Chanduram's body until their demands of Rs five lakh compensation and job for one kin of the victim are complied with.

Meanwhile, sensing the situation as tense, curfew has been reimposed in Gharsana and Raola today after relaxation during the day hours since tuesday.

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