Farmers belonging to BKU Ekta Ugrahan clashed with police in Punjab’s Bathinda district on Wednesday after a protest march turned violent at Jeond village. The confrontation erupted when hundreds of farmers attempted to move towards the District Administrative Complex (DAC), where the union had announced an indefinite agitation.
Tension had been building since Tuesday night, with security forces deployed across key entry points into the city. Police erected nakas on major highways and tightened surveillance to prevent protesters from gathering in large numbers. Despite these measures, groups of farmers tried to push through the barricades, leading to a direct face-off with the police.
Eyewitnesses said both sides resorted to stone-pelting during the clash. Bricks and stones were hurled as chaos unfolded in the narrow lanes of Jeond village. In response, the police lobbed teargas shells to disperse the crowd. Smoke filled the air while protesters scrambled for cover. Several farmers, including women, were detained on the spot.
Bathinda SSP Jyoti Yadav, who was present at the scene, stated that the situation escalated when protesters climbed onto rooftops and began targeting the police force with stones. She said the police used mild force and teargas to bring the situation under control and prevent further escalation.
The protest was called by BKU Ekta Ugrahan to demand the release of two of its activists — Shagandeep Singh Jeond and Baldev Singh Chauke. Both have been lodged in Bathinda jail since April 5 last year after being arrested in connection with an attempt-to-murder case linked to a violent protest in January. The matter is currently under consideration before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the activists have reapplied for regular bail after earlier pleas were dismissed.
Apart from seeking their release, the union is also pressing for the cancellation of five FIRs registered against more than 2,000 farmers following a February 6 protest. During that earlier agitation, farmers had attempted to march towards Bathinda but were stopped near Rampura Phul on the Chandigarh–Bathinda highway. Police had used teargas then as well, detaining several protesters before later releasing them unconditionally. The union temporarily suspended its protest after the release but resumed agitation when its core demands remained unmet.
Union leaders had given the administration an ultimatum to act by February 14. When the deadline passed without resolution, they announced plans for a February 18 protest outside the DAC, which ultimately led to Wednesday’s confrontation.
The roots of the dispute trace back to January 20, when a protest at Jeond village turned violent during land demarcation and consolidation proceedings conducted under High Court directions. According to police, a Deputy Superintendent of Police and other personnel were injured after a Revenue Department team was allegedly held hostage by a mob. Farmers, however, argue that their agitation was not limited to land issues. They claim they were also demanding the reinstatement of teachers at an Adarsh School in neighbouring Chauke village.
Despite heavy police deployment, some farmers from Jaito block in Faridkot district managed to reach the DAC in the afternoon, only to be detained minutes later. Authorities continued preventive detentions and house arrests in various locations to stop the protest from gaining momentum.
As the day ended, Bathinda remained tense. Security forces maintained a strong presence across the district while union leaders vowed to continue their agitation. The outcome of the High Court hearing on the activists’ bail plea is now being closely watched, as it could determine the next course of events in an already volatile situation.
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Summary:
A protest by BKU Ekta Ugrahan in Bathinda escalated into a violent clash between farmers and police at Jeond village. Protesters demanded the release of two jailed activists and the withdrawal of FIRs against thousands of farmers. Police used teargas and detained several demonstrators as tensions continued to rise across the district.