Patiala, 22 Sept — A sit-in protest by farmer unions in Nabha turned violent on Sunday after a scuffle broke out with police, leaving injuries on both sides and sparking allegations of misconduct.
The farmers had gathered outside the office of Nabha DSP Mandeep Kaur to press for action against a local political leader whom they accused of being involved in tractor trolley thefts. They alleged police assistance was being extended to him and demanded an impartial probe into related complaints.
Eyewitnesses said the situation escalated when DSP Kaur attempted to leave her office while farmers had set up tents for the sit-in. Protesters surrounded her vehicle, leading to a confrontation. Both sides resorted to mild baton charges, resulting in injuries to farmers and police personnel. Several farmers reportedly lost their turbans in the scuffle.
“The farmer unions misbehaved with me and even pulled my hair,” DSP Kaur later told reporters. Police officials maintained that protesters had blocked the road leading to the office and disrupted official functioning.
Farmer union members, on the other hand, accused the police of shielding the accused. They raised slogans against the Nabha police, accusing them of ignoring their complaints. “We only wanted justice and a fair investigation, but instead we were met with force,” a farmer leader said.
Police confirmed an inquiry was underway and said an FIR would be registered in connection with the incident.
The protest had been announced last week, with September 22 set as the date for the sit-in. What began as a demonstration demanding accountability, however, spiraled into a heated clash, further straining relations between local farmers and police.
