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Updated August 29th, 2021 at 22:02 IST

Karnal SP refutes reports of farmer's death due to lathicharge, says 'he died in sleep'

The Police has refuted reports that a farmer who participated in a protest on Saturday died due to the head injuries suffered during the Karnal lathicharge

Reported by: Gloria Methri
Karnal lathicharge
ANI | Image:self
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The Karnal Police has refuted reports that a farmer who participated in a protest on Saturday died due to the head injuries suffered during the lathi charge. Speaking to ANI, Karnal Superintendent of Police Ganga Ram Punia said that had the reports been true, the farmer’s family members would have filed a complaint.

Karnal Police refuse reports of farmer's death due to lathi charge

“He (farmer) did not visit any hospital. He went home in a stable condition and died in sleep. Some are saying he died due to a heart attack. Reports of him dying due to injuries received during lathi charge in Karnal are false,” said Punia.

“If it were true, his family members would have come to the police. We have not received such information. These two incidents have no link,” the officer added.

The deceased's family, however, claimed that he sustained head injuries after lathi-charge and did not wake up the next morning. They also claimed that the farmer's body was allegedly cremated without post-mortem being conducted. 

Injured farmer dies of 'heart attack'

A senior functionary of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) also stated that the farmer, named Sushil Kajal, suffered serious injuries during baton charge by police and passed away hours later, due to a heart attack.

Taking to Twitter, BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni wrote, “Sushil Kajal, who owned one and a half acres of land, had been participating in the farmers’ agitation for the past nine months. He had suffered serious injuries in the police lathi charge at Karnal Toll Plaza yesterday and at night he succumbed to a heart attack… The farming community will always remember his sacrifice.”

The Haryana Police had on Saturday cracked down on farmers protesting in Karnal, leaving 10 people injured in a lathi charge at the Bastara Toll Plaza on the national highway.

The farmers had been protesting against a BJP meeting chaired by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on the upcoming panchayat polls. The Karnal police detained several people using force to disperse a crowd that was blocking the highway.

The state police drew severe criticism from political parties for the action against protestors. 

(With inputs from agency)

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Published August 29th, 2021 at 22:02 IST

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