Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
The Delhi Police has arrested 122 people who participated in the farmers’ protest on 26 January. The list released by the Delhi Police shows that out of these 122, four are senior citizens. The Quint spoke to the families of three senior citizens.
80-year-old Gurmukh Singh, a small farmer and a retired army man, who hails from Shanashapuri village in Fatehgarh Sahib district in Punjab, was arrested by the Delhi Police at Burari famers’ protest ground.
He was charged with assault and disobedience to public servants and is currently in Tihar jail. Gurmukh was arrested by the police because he refused to leave the protest site, said his family members.
He has two sons, one lives in Italy and the other lives separately in a village in Punjab. Gurmukh lives with his daughter-in-law and a grandchild. Being the only male member of the house, he called his sister to stay with his family while he is away participating in the protest.
Gurmukh’s livelihood is dependent on his army pension and 1.5 acres of farm land. He is associated with Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) since many years. SAD (Mann) has assured that it would provide legal assistance to his family.
63-year-old Joginder Singh is a farmer from Boha village in Mansa district in Punjab. He was arrested by the Delhi Police on 28 January under the charges of assault and disobedience to a public servant. He is in Tihar jail.
Joginder is a farmer and owns 8 acres of farm land in his village. Due to old age he has problems moving about.
62-year-old Daya Kishan is a farmer from Ashodha village in Haryana’s Jhajjhar district. He was arrested on 26 January by the Delhi Police and was charged with attempt to murder, rioting and assault to public servant. He is in Tihar jail.
According to Kishan’s family, he was going to meet his sister in Najafgarh on 26 January when the tractor rally was carried out by the farmers in Delhi. His family further adds that he wasn’t part of the protest.
The Khap members of Kishan’s village have assured legal assistance to the family.
Of the 122 arrested people over 110 are in Tihar jail. Considering their age, their family members are worried about their health. Some of these senior citizens might come out on bail soon but they would still have to fight a long battle in court.
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