Karnal 'mahapanchayat': Farmers to hold protest, internet, SMS services suspended

Karnal, Sep 07: Hundreds of farmers will hold a 'mahapanchayat' in Haryana's Karnal against against police lathi-charge on farmers here on August 28.

Forty companies of security personnel, including 10 companies of central paramilitary forces, have been deployed in the district where local authorities have also imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC.

Mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services, including bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge), and all dongle services will remain suspended from Monday midnight.

The Haryana Police had lathicharged a group of farmers disrupting traffic movement on a national highway near here on August 28 while heading towards Karnal to protest against a BJP meeting. Over 10 protesters were injured.

The SKM had said a murder case should be registered against IAS officer Ayush Sinha who was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to "break heads" of protesting farmers.

Sinha, who was later transferred in a reshuffle also involving some other IAS officers, has now been posted as the additional secretary in the Citizen Resources Information Department.

Chaduni had earlier sought registration of a case against those involved in the lathicharge. He also demanded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job for the family of a farmer who died after allegedly sustaining injuries in the lathicharge.

However, the administration has claimed that the farmer was not injured in the police action but had died due to a heart attack.