Farmers demand Rs 1-cr compensation for family of grower who killed himself in Faridkot

Farmers agitating for withdrawal of stubble-burning cases filed against them in Punjab's Faridkot district on Monday sat with the body of a paddy grower who killed himself two days ago during the protest, and demanded his family be given a compensation of Rs 1 crore.

Jagseer Singh, 50, committed suicide on Saturday by consuming poison during the ongoing protest led by Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta) and BKU (Sidhupur) factions at Tehsil complex.

The farmers want the cases filed against them for burning paddy straw be withdrawn and the fine imposed for it on them by the state government be cancelled.

On Sunday night, they brought Singh's body from the mortuary of the government hospital in Jaitu to the site of their protest. They have refused to end the protest until their demands are met, despite repeated requests by the district administration, officials said.

Farmers did not allow the post mortem of the body, the officials said.

"We will not lift our dharna until our demands are met," said Jagjit Singh, the state president of BKU (Sidhupur).

"We have been compelled to stage a sit-in as our demands are not being met," he said.