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A 40-year-old farmer, Amarinder Singh from Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib, died by suicide on Saturday, 9 January, at Delhi-Haryana’s Singhu border – the epicentre of the farmer’s protests against three farm laws passed by the Centre.
He had consumed poison in hope that his death would "bring some success to the farmers’ movement". He was rushed to the Frank Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, Sonipat, but did not survive treatment.
The farmer allegedly consumed poison in the form of sulphas tablets near the main stage at around 4:30 pm. He collapsed in front of other farmers who rushed him to the FIMS hospital. He passed away around 7:20 pm, according to farmers and Baljeet Singh, the convenor of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’s IT Cell, reported The Indian Express.
He had told his friends that he was forced to take this step because the demands of the farmers’ of repealing farm laws and the Minimum Support Price were not being met, reported NDTV.
A post-mortem has been scheduled for Sunday morning at the government hospital mortuary, where his body has been kept before it is handed over to his uncle, Darbara Singh. The deceased farmer is survived by his wife, two children and his mother, reported The Indian Express.
Suicides at the Protest Site
Amarinder Singh is the fourth person to take his own life at protests against the new farm laws, and the second person this month. 75-year-old Kashmir Singh Dass hanged himself at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border. While 63-year-old Amarjit Singh Rai consumed pesticide at the Tikri border, 65-year-old Sant Baba Ram Singh, a well-revered preacher shot himself near Kundli. There was also a suicide attempt at Singhu by Niranjan Singh who consumed pesticide tablets.
Over 60 farmers have lost their lives since the farm laws protest started. Even after eight rounds of talks between the Centre and farm unions, there seems to be no agreement on the three farm laws that have sparked protests across the country.
Farmers-Govt Talks Inconclusive So Far
The latest meeting between the farm unions and the Centre, represented by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash on 4 January, ended on an inconclusive note. The ninth round has been scheduled for 15 January.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and NDTV.)
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