Punjab Farmer Kills Himself Over ‘Cases Regarding Stubble Burning’

The farmer was demanding removal of cases of stubble burning against him and was under a debt of Rs 10 lakhs.

A farmer burns stubble after the harvest of paddy, at an agricultural field on the outskirts of Amritsar.  Photo used for representative purposes.

(Photo: IANS)

A farmer allegedly killed himself by consuming poison at a dharna in Punjab’s Faridkot while demanding the cancellation of multiple cases of stubble burning registered against him.

This was at a protest being organised under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Ekta and Sidhupur, reported news agency ANI.

The deceased, who has been identified as Jagsir Singh, was rushed to the hospital immediately, where he passed away during treatment.

Singh was part of the month-long sit-in protest organised by farmers in Faridkot’s Jaitu demanding cancellation of stubble burning cases against them. He was a resident of Kotra Korianwala village in Bathinda and owned 3 acres of land, reported The Tribune.

He was reportedly under a debt of over Rs 10 lakh. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons.

“The farmers are protesting peacefully. The desolation among farmers is such that they are left with no other way. Under such desolation, he took such an extreme step.”

Jagjeet Singh, Suba Pradhan, BKU to <i>ANI</i>

The protesting farmers are demanding the cancellation of stubble burning cases against them, the scrapping of red entries in their revenue record for the same and waiver of fines imposed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board.

(With inputs from PTI and The Tribune)