In a flare-up of tensions surrounding the issue of stubble burning, two farmers have been taken into police custody in the Patiala district of Punjab. The arrests occurred following a confrontation between a group of nine farmers and government authorities who were striving to curb the practice of stubble burning in the village of Mahima Sarja.
The incident began when government officials ventured to Mahima Sarja village in a determined effort to deter the burning of crop residue. This undertaking was in compliance with orders from the District Commissioner, who had assigned the duty of managing stubble disposal and overseeing Heart-Smart Villages in the Goniana Mandi region to Harpreet Sagar, a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) from the Public Works Department (PWD).
On November 3, Harpreet Sagar, along with his team, was on an official mission to inspect stubble burning activities. While conducting their field visit, they observed thick plumes of smoke rising from a stubble fire. Upon reaching the fields, they attempted to counsel the farmers involved in the burning, urging them to cease the practice. However, the situation took a dramatic turn as the farmers encircled the officials, detaining them against their will. The farmers went to the extent of compelling the government team to set fire to the stubble themselves, thus hampering their official duties.
Consequently, a formal complaint was lodged by the SDO, and the police initiated legal proceedings against the accused farmers. The names in the case included Gurmeet Singh, Surjit Singh, Dara Singh, Ram Singh, and Harshdeep Singh, all residents of Nehiyawala Village, along with Bachitar Singh, Shivraj Singh from Nehiyawala Village, and Baljeet Singh from Gurthadi Village. The Bathinda police have successfully apprehended Surjit and Shivraj and are diligently working to detain the remaining individuals implicated in the case. This incident underscores the persistent challenges linked to stubble burning in the region, where certain farmers have resisted government attempts to curtail the practice. The arrest of two farmers is a significant development in the ongoing investigation, and law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing the remaining suspects involved in the altercation.
