PATIALA, July 23 — Tensions erupted in Jahlan village on Wednesday as police launched an anti-encroachment drive on a disputed parcel of land, detaining over two dozen villagers — including women activists — and triggering sharp condemnation from farmer unions.
The crackdown followed allegations that the administration was attempting to clear the land for a “selected few,” prompting local farmers and activists to stage a protest. As the situation escalated, police resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd. Farmer groups claimed even elderly protesters and women were not spared in the operation.
“More than 25 people, including several women, have been detained without justification,” a spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) said. “This is a blatant attempt to silence voices resisting the unjust handover of community land.”
While the district administration has yet to issue an official statement, local officials maintained that the drive was aimed at removing illegal structures from government land. However, protesters insisted the land belongs to the village panchayat and accused authorities of bypassing due legal process.
The BKU has demanded immediate release of those detained and called for a transparent inquiry into the police action. “This heavy-handedness will not go unchecked,” the union warned, urging wider mobilisation against what it described as state-sponsored suppression of farmers’ rights.
