A 55-year-old man from Punjab, who had joined the agitating farmers in solidarity, was burnt alive after the car he was sleeping in caught fire. Janak Raj was a resident of Dhanolua village in Barnala district and was a tractor mechanic. He had gone to Delhi to voluntarily fix tractors that were being used by farmers camping near Delhi, reported NDTV.
According to the report, after finishing his work late at night near Bahadurgarh (Delhi-Haryana border), Janak Raj went to sleep in the car; the vehicle caught fire and he was burnt alive, officials said.
India Today reported that Krishna Singh Chhanna, leader of one of the farmer unions, said the government has to compensate for Janak Raj's death with Rs 20 lakh to his kin and a government job to his son. The report further quoted Chhanna saying until these demands are met, Janak's Raj last rites will not be performed.
Thousands of farmers are camping in and around Delhi to protest against the three new laws aimed at bringing reforms in the agriculture sector. Recently, the agitating farmers had refused the Centre's offer to hold talks once they move to the Burari ground.
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