Punjab & Haryana HC to hear petition for judicial probe into Karnal lathicharge on Friday

Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday will take up hearing a writ petition, seeking a judicial probe headed by a retired judge of the High Court into the violent crackdown of police on farmers protesting in Karnal. The police, purportedly under the direction of sub-divisional magistrate Ayush Sinha, mercilessly lathi-charged farmers during the protest, which led to the death of a farmer, and grievously injurious to many others on the August 28 protest. 

Plea before Haryana & Punjab HCs for judicial probe into Karnal lathicharge

Filed by five residents of Karnal, the petition demands to look into the role of SDM Ayush Sinha who was caught on camera purportedly instructing policemen to 'break heads' of protesting farmers if they breach security. The petitioners have claimed that the action of the police was an outcome of the words of the SDM. It is pertinent to mention here that the SDM has already been transfered. 

Besides the SDM, the petitioners have also asked to register FIRs, and further, take departmental action against all those police officials who had acted 'illegally and brutally' with unarmed, peaceful protestors, and in the process, jeopardized the fundamental right of all citizens of India to raise their voices, and protest against what they feel is wrong. 

The petitioners, in the said petition, have also claimed that that the injured farmers were not provided medical aid immediately, and in fact, some were threatened against getting X-rays done. Having said that, they have sought directions from the state government to provide adequate compensation to all the injured farmers. 

''Action was unnecessary'':  Bharatiya Kisan Union

Meanwhile talking about the incident, Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Charuni recently said the police action was 'unnecessary'. "The lathi-charge took place 15 km away from the site where the Haryana Chief Minister was present. There was no way the farmers could have approached, and attacked him," Gurnam Singh Charuni said, underlining that whenever a situation for lathi-charge emerges, as per protocols, the lathi is charged below the shoulders. "Here, the farmers were attacked on the head, because of which many suffered grievous injuries, and one of them even died," the BKU president said.