Farmers protest: Punjab & Haryana HC orders judicial probe into youth’s death

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday ordered a judicial probe into the death of farmer Shubhkaran Singh last month during a clash between protesting farmers and Haryana security personnel at Khanauri border. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji was hearing a batch of petitions related to the farmers’ agitation.

Advocate Uday Partap Singh, also a petitioner in the matter, stated that the court ordered the judicial probe into Shubhkaran Singh’s death. He further mentioned that the probe would be conducted by a retired HC judge and two ADGP rank officers of Punjab and Haryana.

Shubhkaran (21) a resident of Bathinda, was killed, and 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri border point on the Punjab-Haryana border on February 21, 2024.
The incident occurred when some protesting farmers attempted to move towards barricades and were halted by security personnel from crossing the state border and marching to Delhi.

It is to be noted that the Punjab government had already filed a murder case through a Zero FIR regarding the incident. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to pressure the government into meeting their demands, which include a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops and a farm loan waiver.

The protesting farmers have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their “Delhi Chalo” march was impeded by security forces.

They commenced their march on February 13 but were halted by security forces, leading to clashes at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points on the Haryana-Punjab border.