The suspect held by farmers’ leaders said, “Our plan was that on January 26, we will shoot on the first line during tractor march.”
New Delhi| In a dramatic late night development at Singhu border where farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been protesting for more than 50 days now, farmer leaders claimed that they have caught a suspect who was plotting violence. The safety committee of the farmers movement has arrested a person from the Singhu border on Friday night. Farmer leaders brought this to the attention of media, where they said that the suspect held was instructed to shoot 4 farmer leaders on the day of the tractor march to be held on 26 January. The development comes on a day when the 11th round of talks between farmers and govt failed. The govt took a firm stance over the proposal of putting farm laws on hold for 1.5 years even after farmers rejected the offer.
The arrested person was presented before media by farmers’ leaders who said that he was given these instructions by Pradeep, an officer of Haryana Police. However, there is no statement from the government or Haryana Police on this claim yet. This person has now been handed over to the police.
Aam Aadmi Party reacting to the development said that their worst fear is being proven true. It also said that this shows how they (the central government) want to end the peasant movement.
Suspect said he had received photos of the targets
The suspect who was covered in black hood and hid his face with white cloth said, “Our plan was that on January 26, we will shoot on the first line. After this, Delhi Police will try to stop the farmers. If they do not stop, then there is an order to shoot them. Our team from behind, which consists of 8-10 boys from Haryana, will shoot. The police will feel that the farmers have opened fire.”
He further said, “At the tractor rally, half of the gang people will be in police uniform, who will disperse the farmers. After this, there will be a plan to shoot the 4 people (farmer leaders) on stage. Pictures of 4 people have been given to us. The one who entrusted us with this task is named Pradeep Singh, the station in-charge (SHO). We never saw him in front of the police station. Whenever he came to meet us, we used to cover our face. We have seen his badge. We do not know the name of the people who were to be killed, we had their photo.”
The development has sent Shockwave among people and protesters alike. The farmer leaders have planned a tractor march on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi. Hundreds of farmers protesting at Singhu border are expected to take part in the rally. However, Delhi Police has not given any permission to carry out the rally.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had on Friday expressed concern over the ongoing deadlock between the Center and the farmers. He had said that if the solution to this movement is not found soon, then anti-social eliments can infiltrate the movement.
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