Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
Karnal's Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ayush Sinha has found himself in a soup after he was caught on video issuing instructions to the police to “crack their (protesting farmers') heads” while dealing with the agitators.
Reacting to the incident on Sunday, Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala condemned the usage of such words for the farmers and said that action would be taken against Sinha.
Chautala said that in a clarification, Sinha has stated that he didn't sleep in the last two days.
"He probably doesn't know that farmers also don't sleep 200 days a year," Chautala added, according to news agency ANI.
WHAT DID THE SDM SAY?
In a video viral on social media, Sinha can be seen standing in front of a group of policemen and instructing them to not allow farmers to go beyond a barricade.
"It is very simple and clear. Whoever he is, wherever he is from, no one should be allowed to reach there. We will not let this line be breached at any cost. Just pick up your lathi and hit them hard... It's very clear, there is no need for any instruction, just thrash them hard. If I see a single protester here, I want to see his head smashed... crack their heads," said Sinha in the video.
Speaking to ANI after the video went viral, Sinha said that the statement was made to "use force proportionately" in response to the stone pelting by protesting farmers.
WHAT HAD HAPPENED?
Clashes between Haryana Police and protesting farmers occurred near the Bastar toll plaza on Saturday, 28 August. The police resorted to lathi-charging on several farmers blocking National Highway-3 and the Delhi-Amritsar Highway. They were protesting against police brutality against other farmers in Karnal.
Several farmers were injured in the lathi-charging. Visuals captured on social media show many protesters with bandages on their heads, some with blood on their shirt and leg.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha slammed the Haryana police for their “brutal actions” and have demanded the dismissal of Sinha for his “completely illegal” instructions to the police force.
The farmers were reportedly trying to block BJP vehicles heading towards a Prem Plaza Hotel where a meeting on the upcoming municipal elections was scheduled to be held. The clashes took place when farmers refused to disperse from the National Highway, resulting in the police action.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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