Chanduram cremated after week-long deadlock

Sriganganagar, Oct 31 (UNI) A week-long impasse was resolved as last rites of farmer Chanduram Saran who died after sustaining injuries in an alleged police lathicharge were performed at his ancestral village this evening.

Chanduram had died on October 24 at Manjuwas village after farmers had gathered to demand 58 per cent irrigation water from the Indira Gandhi Canal Project on October 16.

His family as well as the farming community of the village had refused to cremate his body until their demands of providing a relief package of Rs five lakh and a job to one member of the family were met.

Farmer leader Vallabh Kocher said they decided to cremate his body after an assurance from the state government that the demands will be met after the last rites were performed.

Leaders including state Congress president B D Kalla, Dr Chandrabhan, CPM legislator Amraram, Sangharsh Samiti secretary Sant Lekha Singh and thousands of farmers participated in the funeral.

Dr Kalla said the state government has assured the samiti that they would announce a relief package for Chanduram's family once his cremation is over.

Doctors yesterday conducted a post-mortem on Chanduram's body and the autopsy report was handed over to the leaders of Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti.

Chanduram had sustained injuries at several places on his body and a seven-and-a half cm deep wound on his head and also two fractures on his leg.

The report laid to rest the government's claim that Chanduram may have died of heart attack. However, the autopsy report failed to specify the cause of the death.

Chanduram had sustained injuries in police lathicharge on October 16 in Gharsana and was admitted to the hospital. But he was released before became fully fit, the farmers allege.

Meanwhile, curfew was relaxed in Gharsana and Raola towns from 0600 hrs to 1000 hrs today morning.

UNI XC RRT AK VC1830