Punjab govt gives Rs 5 lakh each to families of 4 farmers who died during protest

Ludhiana, Jan 21: A compensation of Rs 5 lakh each has been given to the families of four farmers from Ludhiana who lost their lives while participating in the ongoing protest against the Centre's agricultural reforms, a senior officer said on Thursday.

Braving cold weather conditions and rain, thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi for over a month now against the three farm laws.

Several farmers participating in the agitation have died due to different reasons including heart attack and road accidents. On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Rs 5 lakh compensation is being provided to the families of farmers who unfortunately lost their lives during the protest against the Centre's farm laws, said Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma.

Till date, he said, five farmers from Ludhiana district have lost their lives while participating in the agitation. While Rs 5 lakh compensation has already been provided to families of four farmers from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, the case of the fifth farmer is under process, he added.

Farmer groups have alleged the three farm laws will end the minimum support price (MSP) and mandi procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, even as the government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced. The farmers have refused to end their agitation till these laws are repealed.