Murder charges against protesters for piling up dung at BJP leader’s house

HOSHIARPUR, Punjab—Punjab Police have slapped attempt to murder charges against the protesters for piling up cattle-dung at the gate of BJP leader and former Punjab Minister Tikshan Sood on Friday.

Angered over the controversial remark of Sood, the farmers agitating against three farm laws enacted by BJP-led Centre today heaped dung at the gate of his house thereby causing embarrassment for him. Members of the Sikh organization Dal Khalsa which is also participating in the stir, were also amongst the protesters.

The protesters just lodged their protest by unloading the trailer full of dung, but the Police booked the protesters under section 307 (attempt to murder), 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of IPC.

Condemning the case registered against the protesters, residents of village Khuda assembled at village Gurdwara as youths of this village were also booked under these charges. They asked the Police to cancel the cases or face intensification of the agitation.

On the basis of the statement of a local BJP worker, the FIR states that the protesters attempted to kill the Minister with deadly weapons. “The video of the incident is viral over social media and it is proof of what happened there exactly. The protest was totally peaceful and nothing happened there like killing anyone. The FIR is falsely registered against the protesters”, said the villagers.

On the other hand, Punjab Police have started raiding the houses of those booked in the case. However, the justice loving organizations of Punjab are opposing the false FIR. “This has exposed the fact once again that the state government of Punjab is working under pressure from the BJP-led centre. That is why the Punjab Police have registered this false case. In such a situation, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s statement that he is working independently, makes no sense”, said a villager.

All the human rights organizations have lodged protests against cases registered against the protesters illegitimately.

The dung was heaped as Sood mocked the farmers who are agitating on the borders of Delhi against three farmer laws promulgated by BJP-led union government. He stated that those who are going to Delhi to join the stir, are actually going for a picnic. He was facing a backlash from the people of Punjab for making this remark.