Farmers proceed with agitator's body, camp near Gharsana

Sriganganagar, Oct 27 (UNI) The impasse in Ganganagar district continued today over the issue of compensation to a farmer, who was killed due to injuries suffered in a violent agitation in Gharsana on October 16.

Thousands of agitating farmers, under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti, assembled at 10 LM village and proceeded towards Gharsana, carrying the body of Chaduram Saran.

Chanduram's relatives were claiming a compensation of Rs five lakh and a job for next of kin and have refused to hand over his body for post-mortem until their demands were met. While the government has categorically denied any compensation unless the body was handed over for a post-mortem.

Farmers allege that Chanduram died due to injuries sustained during police lathicharge on an agitation for irrigation water.

The protesters reached 6 DD village, three kms from Gharsana, at around 1400 hrs and camped on the road. They were addressed by Congress national secretary V K Krishnamurthy, CPM Polit Bureau member Nilotpal Basu, Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha's Nurul Huda, state Congress president B D Kalla and CPM legislator Amraram.

Chanduram's family has already refused aid from the local administration and MP Nihalchand.

A curfew was still in force in the violence-marred villages of Gharsana and Raola, District Collector K L Meena said. However, it was relaxed today between 0600 hrs and 0800 hrs.

The administration has made elaborate security arrangements in Gharsana and Raola. Thousands of policemen were deployed in the two villages.

Yesterday, the two-hour long talks between the state government representatives and farmers failed to make any headaway.

Forty-year-old Chanduram who was hospitalised had died at Manjuwas village at his relative's place on Wednesday. He was seriously injured in police lathicharge in Gharsana.

His relatives allege that Chanduram was forcefully discharged from hospital even though he was not fully fit. Chanduram's relatives have refused to cremate his body.

Agitating farmers clashed with police in Gharsana on October 16. Police resorted to lathicharge and lobbed teargas shells to control the protesters. They were demanding 58 per cent share of irrigation water from Indira Gandhi Canal Project and release of their arrested leaders like Hetram Beniwal and Sahebram Punia.

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