BATALA, March 11– A confrontation over land acquisition for the Delhi-Jammu Katra Expressway turned violent Tuesday when police cane-charged protesting farmers, leaving six injured.
A district administration team, led by Batala SDM Vikramjit Singh Panthey, arrived at Nangal Chor village near Sri-Hargobindpur early in the morning to take possession of the land. Officials, including those from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), maintained that farmers had been compensated, but farm unions rejected the claim.
As officials moved in, around 50 farmers blocked their path, insisting that compensation be settled first. When they refused to step aside, tensions escalated, and police intervened, leading to a clash.
Six farmers were injured and admitted to Harchowal Civil Hospital. SSP Suhail Qasim Mir said they sustained only minor injuries.
A farm leader said officials had assured them in earlier meetings that compensation would be given before acquisition. “However, they backtracked on their promise. We will talk to our senior leaders before deciding our next step,” he said.
