'Hand over injured farmers for treatment': Punjab Chief Secretary urges Haryana counterpart

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma on Saturday wrote to his Haryana counterpart demanding that a farmer who was injured in clashes during the 'Delhi Chalo' march and is undergoing treatment at PGI Rohtak be handed over to the Punjab authorities.

Verma said that any other farmer from Punjab undergoing treatment in Haryana should also be handed over to the state authorities.

Farmer leaders, who are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march, had alleged that a few farmers were beaten up and taken away by Haryana security personnel on February 21.

A protester was killed and about 12 police personnel were injured in the clashes at Khanauri, one of the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.

In his communication to Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal, Verma said Pritpal Singh, hailing from Punjab, should be handed over to the state authorities.

"It has come to our notice that Pritpal Singh from Punjab, who got hurt during the farmers' agitation, is undergoing treatment at PGI (Post Graduate Institute) Rohtak," wrote Verma.

"You are requested to hand over Pritpal Singh to Punjab authorities so that his treatment may be... done in Punjab free of cost by the Punjab government," he said.

Further, if any other agitating farmer from Punjab is undergoing treatment in Haryana, he should also be handed over to us, Verma further said.

On Friday, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia had alleged that Singh was "kidnapped" and injured by Haryana Police

He had claimed that Singh was "kidnapped" when he had gone to distribute 'langar' at Khanauri.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and a farm loan waiver.